Bookends
by TessaStarDean
Summary: COMPLETE.Crossover with 24. Jack and Tony fly out to New York to visit Kim, only to find her accused of a surprising crime. And with a little girl missing, the CSIs rush to fit the puzzle together. DannyLindsay, FlackStella, JackChloe. Written with Roryli
1. Prologue

"You know I got mugged the last time I was in New York," Tony muttered.

"You mentioned that," Jack said. "More than once. You didn't have to come, you know."

Tony ignored him. "Mugged. Me, of all people."

"And you're telling me Los Angeles is safer?"

"Yes."

"Well, Kim invited me, and I've worked hard to repair things with her. It's not like I could say no."

"I know," Tony said. "And I'm happy for you, really. I just wish Kim picked a more civilized place to live, like Chicago."

"Tell me this isn't about the Yankees."

"This isn't about the Yankees. Though they do represent everything that's wrong with New York."

Jack scanned the airport, frowning.

"Where's Kim?" Tony asked.

Jack shook his head. "Not here."

"I thought she was meeting us."

"She was."

"Did you call her?"

Jack nodded. "She's not answering."

"She's probably stuck in traffic or something. I'm sure it's nothing."

"Right."

"She'll be here any minute."

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When the sunlight hit her eyes, Lindsay buried her face under the covers. Danny smiled, stretching out on the bed next to her and slowly poking her nose with one of Mackenzie's tiny fingers. Lindsay's nose wrinkled as she kissed her daughter's small hand.

"Morning Montana," Danny murmured.

"Mmm. Morning," Lindsay said groggily.

Danny sat Mackenzie down on Lindsay's chest and watched as the little girl gave her a sloppy kiss and then started gumming at her chin.

"Want some breakfast?" he asked.

Lindsay nodded. "In bed."

"You do know you're going to have to get up eventually, right?"

"Yes. Eventually. But not now."

Danny padded slowly down the hallway, returning with a plate of pancakes balanced on a tray. He slipped into bed and Lindsay snuggled happily against his chest, Mackenzie between them as she started to eat.

"I was thinking," Lindsay said absently as she ate, "when it gets warm we should take off, drive to the shore. Stick her feet in the ocean.

Danny smiled, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as his fingers combed through her hair. "Sounds nice."

He was back in the kitchen washing off the plate when the phone rang.

"We gotta go Montana," he said as he stepped into the bedroom. "We got a crime scene. I'll drop her off her off at my mother's," he added, lifting Mackenzie up, "and meet you there."

Lindsay kissed the baby and then him. "I love you," she said.

"I love you," he echoed as he headed out the door.

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"Sorry I'm late," Stella said as she slid into the booth.

Flack shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I've only been here a coupla minutes."

She slid her jacket off as the waitress brought over two coffees. When the woman left, Stella looked across the table and gave Flack a smile. "Thank you."

He shrugged again. "I know you don't function too well without your morning coffee."

She nodded. "So what is this anyway, Flack? I have to admit, I was surprised when you called me."

"Think of it as a…celebratory meal."

"And what exactly are we celebrating?" she asked, taking a sip from her mug.

"You."

"Me?"

Flack nodded. "You busted your ass on the Moretti case, and because of that, we made the bust and got that perv off the streets. You deserve a fuckin' gold medal, Stell…but all I could afford was breakfast."

Stella couldn't help but smile. She opened her mouth to tell him that this wasn't necessary, that she had just been doing her job. But as she met his eyes, she realized that none of those were the right words. So she reached across the table and placed her hand on his, squeezing gently. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Before Flack could respond, his cell phone went off, interrupting the moment. Frowning, he went to answer it, and Stella's phone started to ring at the same time. Both conversations were short, and the detectives were sliding back out of the booth before they had even finished hanging up.

"I still owe you breakfast," Flack muttered as they moved toward the door.

Stella threw a smile back over her shoulder. "And I'll hold you to that," she laughed.

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"What've we got?" Flack asked as he and Stella walked into the crime scene.

Danny looked up from the pictures he was taking. "Double homicide and a missin' kid."

"Which would explain why we're all working this one," Stella murmured as she saw Lindsay there as well.

"Exactly."

They all turned to see Mac Taylor walking across the room. The shadows under his eyes told them that he had gotten little – if any – sleep before getting the call, and the added weight of a missing child was already wearing him thin.

"So what do we think happened?" Flack asked, pulling out his notebook.

Danny pointed to the one of the bodies on the floor. "It looks like she was killed first…ID in the bedroom says she's a Melissa Gould. Gunshot to the chest, quick, simple. This guy," Danny walked over to the second victim, who was lying facedown on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding him. "This guy seems to have walked into it. From the mess, we think he attacked the perp, and ended up losing."

"C.O.D.?" Stella asked.

Lindsay spoke up. "Blunt force trauma."

"Do we have a murder weapon?"

The younger woman picked something up off the floor. Stella narrowed her eyes as she looked at it.

"What is it?" she finally asked.

Lindsay raised an eyebrow. "A bookend."

"Ouch," Flack whispered. "What about a name? Can we ID the second vic?"

Mac nodded, picking up a plastic evidence bag that was sitting on the coffee table and then handing it to Flack and Stella.

"A former federal agent," he said, his voice putting extra weight on the words. "Agent Chase Edmunds."


	2. Chapter 1

Stella moved through the crime scene, her eyes sweeping over the room as she tried to learn whatever she could about the victims. At least on the surface, it looked as though they lived happy, normal lives. She wondered if someone from Edmunds' CTU days had come for him. But it had been a number of years since he had worked as a federal agent, and that was a long time to hold a grudge.

Something on the mantle caught her eye, and as she moved closer, she saw that it was a picture of Edmunds and his daughter. The little girl was beautiful, her smile bright as she clung to her father. Stella's gaze moved to the woman in the picture, and she stopped cold – it wasn't the same woman lying on the floor a few feet away.

Danny stepped up beside her. "That's not our female vic," he commented. "But she looks pretty cozy as a member of the family."

"Which means that the little girl has another mother figure in her life," Stella replied. "I think we should find out who she is."

Turning from Danny, she made her way carefully across the crime scene to Mac's side. "I heard there's a missing kid," she said softly.

He nodded. "Angela Chloe Edmunds. She's ten." He held up a picture of the smiling dark haired girl.

"She's cute," Stella said, staring at the image.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"Where do you need me?" she asked.

Mac looked over at his assembled team. "Lindsay, I want you on fingertips. Danny, you take trace. Call Hawkes in if you need help."

Danny nodded.

"Flack's doing interviews," Mac continued, turning to Stella. "I want you with him."

"What about the little girl?" Stella asked.

"I'm taking that myself," Mac said. "Now everybody get to work."

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"Sorry I'm late," Kim said, hurrying through the airport.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, frowning at the way she was shaking as he embraced her.

"I was just rushing, trying to get here," she offered.

"What happened?" Tony asked.

"Traffic," she explained. "I got stuck."

"That's why you should move somewhere civilized," Tony muttered.

"I didn't realize Los Angeles was civilized," Kim shot back.

"It's not, but the weather is great."

Jack lifted his bag up and followed them through the airport to Kim's car.

"Are you settling in?" he asked Kim as she started to drive.

"Yeah, I think so," she answered absently. "Finally. I love my apartment, I can tolerate my job." She shrugged.

"Do you like the city?" he pressed.

"I guess."

"How do you like being a paper pusher?" Tony asked playfully.

She shrugged.

"Sweetheart," Jack said softly, "are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," she said quietly. "My job's fine."

Jack nodded, watching her carefully as she drove into the city, wondering what was bothering her.

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"Who are we seeing first?" Stella asked as Flack parked the SUV and they headed into the apartment building.

He looked down at his notes. "There was no next of kin listed, so we looked his emergency contact, a Chloe O'Brian. Turns out she's the emergency contact for the kid too."

"Then let's find out what she knows."

Flack knocked on the door and they waited for someone to open it. Instead, a voice called out from the other side.

"Who is it?"

"NYPD, ma'am," Flack said politely. "Would you please open the door?"

"Hold your badges up so I can see them."

Flack and Stella shared an amused look, but did as the woman requested. Finally, they heard the sound of locks being undone and the door was opened. Standing in front of them was a woman of average height, with dark brown hair sweeping past her shoulders. Stella thought that she could be pretty – if it wasn't for the huge scowl on her face.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

Stella stared. "You're the woman in the picture."

"What picture?"

Flack looked between the two women, confused by the sudden turn Stella had taken. Shaking his head, he turned back to the woman they were questioning.

"Are you Chloe O'Brian?" Flack asked.

"Yes."

"You're listed as the emergency contact for Chase Edmunds?"

Chloe's face paled, and her hands started to shake. Swallowing hard, she gripped the doorframe. "Is he alright?"

"I'm sorry," Stella said quietly. "He was found dead in his apartment this morning."

Tears filled Chloe's eyes immediately. Seeing her sway slightly, Flack reached out for her arm, steadying her and pushing her back into the apartment. He gently set her down on the couch, taking a seat across from her while Stella closed the apartment door.

"How?" Chloe whispered.

"He was attacked," Flack explained. "A woman was found with him; her name was Melissa Gould."

Chloe nodded numbly. "His girlfriend. He was going to propose."

"How did you know him?" Stella asked gently.

"He was my best friend. We used to work together."

"At CTU?" Chloe nodded. "There was a picture of you and Chase and Angela in his apartment. Are you Angela's mother?"

"No. Her mother died in a car accident two years ago. Like I said, Chase and I were friends. I helped him raise Angela."

"And his girlfriend was okay with that?" Flack asked, skepticism in his voice.

Chloe shrugged uncomfortably. "It didn't really matter. I was there for Angela's entire life – she knew that."

"So there were no hard feelings between the two of you?" Stella put in.

Chloe frowned. "No. We weren't best friends, but we could deal with each other." She stopped. "Why are you asking me this stuff? I didn't kill Chase."

"Are you sure you weren't jealous of Melissa?"

"Jealous?" Chloe scoffed. "Of what? I was Chase's best friend, not his lover. I just wanted him to be happy. And he was."

"What about Angela?" Flack asked. "Was she happy?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Do you know where Angela is, Ms. O'Brian?

Stella was almost positive that she saw recognition flash across Chloe's eyes. But it was gone within a heartbeat, and the scowl was back on her face. "I would imagine she's at school."

Flack shook his head. "We called. Angela never showed up today."

"Then where is she?" Chloe asked.

Stella heard the question, but there was something in the woman's tone that she didn't trust. "That's what we're trying to figure out," she said. "Maybe you should come down to the station with us."

"Why?" Chloe shot back.

Stella shrugged. "You want to help us find Angela, don't you? After all, you've been like a mother to her."

For a moment, the two women just stared at each other. Then Chloe sighed and stood up, heading for a back room. "Fine," she muttered. "I'll go get my coat."

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"You got a print?" Danny asked, watching Lindsay work. They'd been back in the lab for an hour, sorting through things.

She nodded, glancing up at him. "How's it going?"

"Right now I've got a whole lot of nothing," he muttered.

She gave him a sympathetic smile before turning away from him to the computer. He frowned at her stiff, rigid posture.

"You okay Montana?" he asked softly.

Lindsay sighed, her hands trembling. Danny moved behind her, placing his hand on her back.

"Talk to me, Lindsay."

She turned his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's just…I try to pretend I'm the same person I always was, but I'm not. Ever since I had Mackenzie, it changed me. Kids. It's more personal than it used to be, and sometimes I worry that I'm not as good at job as I was."

"It's harder for me now too," Danny murmured, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Really?" she asked, looking up at him with her big brown eyes.

"Mmmhmm. But I promise you, you are a good cop, Montana. A great one."

She kissed him softly on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you. Looks like you got a hit."

Lindsay turned around to face the computer and frowned, her nose wrinkling.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Kim Bauer. She was a federal agent too."

"When?"

Lindsay continued reading the screen. "Must have been the same time as Edmunds."

"Maybe they were involved. Maybe she was in love with him."

"And what, she waited five years and then she kills him with a bookend?"

"Happens all the time."

"How does this girl have the strength to overpower him?"

"She was a federal agent."

Lindsay shook her head. "She was an analyst. She worked with computers, not guns.

"Then maybe adrenaline. Happens all the time."

"Doesn't it feel too easy? We find one print in the whole place, no trace, but one, perfect print, and it leads right to her."

"Follow the evidence, Lindsay."

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Jack knew that there was something wrong as soon as Kim parked the car in front of her apartment building. A man was standing in front of the main entrance, and he was flanked by a younger man and a woman. All three of them looked like cops. Jack looked over at Tony, exchanging worried looks before they all got out of the car slowly.

"Can we help you?" Jack asked.

The man ignored him, nodding at Kim. "Are you Kim Bauer?"

Kim stopped, suddenly realizing that something was very wrong. "Dad?" she asked, looking over at Jack.

The former CTU agent casually moved in front of his daughter. "What do you want with her?"

The man pulled out his shield. "I'm Detective Mac Taylor. I'm here to arrest your daughter."

"For what?" Tony shot back.

Mac locked his eyes with Kim. "For the murder of Chase Edmunds."


	3. Chapter 2

"For the murder of Chase Edmunds."

The words hit Jack like a metal pipe, forcing whatever he had planned on saying right out of his head. For a long moment, he just stared at the man in front of him, struggling to understand. Then a small sob sounded behind him, and he turned to see Kim's face fall.

"Chase is dead?"

"And you killed him," Danny said harshly.

Jack's anger came back, quickly replacing the shock that had engulfed him. Threateningly, he took a step closer to Mac. "And what makes you think that?"

Mac didn't budge. "My team found your daughter's fingerprints on the murder weapon. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to place her under arrest."

"Like hell you are," Jack growled.

The two men stood there, facing off. Rage was radiating off of Jack in waves, but Mac stood his ground, unwilling to back down. Everyone else watched, tensely, preparing for a fight. Finally, Tony stepped in.

"Jack, don't."

He didn't take his gaze from Mac. "I won't let them take her, Tony."

"And if you keep this up, Jack, somebody's going to get shot. Let them take her. We'll follow them to the station and get this all straightened out. I promise."

"You should listen to your friend, Mr. Bauer," Mac said quietly. "If Kimberly is innocent, then we'll let her go. But we've got to get this cleared up."

Jack didn't want to step aside. Everything inside of him screamed to fight back, to protect his little girl at all costs. But he knew that Tony was right – the situation could easily escalate, and he couldn't bring himself to shoot a New York cop. Silently counting to ten, he took a deep breath and stepped aside so that Mac could reach Kim.

"This isn't over," he warned quietly as the other man walked past him.

Mac nodded. "I know."

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Chloe moved forward down the hallway of the precinct, propelled by the man's arm on her elbow. She wanted to shake it off but she didn't. She wanted to turn and run the other direction, out of the building, but instead she kept going forward.

She blinked rapidly, stuffing her hands in her pockets to keep anyone from seeing them shake as she struggled not to sob, biting her tongue until she drew blood. She kept her eyes on the floor in front of her, unwilling to give anything up.

A commotion at the end of the hallway drew her attention and she raised her eyes, taking in Jack Bauer for the first time in years. Her eyes widened as they locked on his, her mouth forming a tiny O as her breathing hitched.

"You okay?" Flack asked her when she stopped walking.

Chloe nodded slowly, eyes moving back to the floor as she started to shuffle slowly forward again.

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"Have a seat," Danny said when he opened the door.

"I want to see my daughter," Jack demanded.

"Not right now."

"She didn't kill Chase."

"Yeah? Well why don't you tell me how you can be so sure of that Mr. Bauer," Danny said, taking a seat at the table.

"I was with her."

"Now how do you know that, when I haven't even told you when Mr. Edmunds was killed?"

"It must have just happened," Jack explained. "If it had happened earlier, I'd know."

Danny nodded. "You flew in today from Los Angeles?"

"You already know that."

"I do," Danny admitted. "And I know that your daughter couldn't have possibly been with you when Mr. Edmunds was killed. You were at the airport, your daughter was no where to be found. We have security footage."

"Do you have any idea how easily that kind of footage can be altered?"

"I think I'll place my bets on the most logical conclusion, but go ahead with your conspiracy theory, don't let me stop you," Danny said, running a hand through his hair.

"Listen you arrogant little punk, you don't know what you're talking about," Jack snapped.

Danny shrugged. "I understand what you're doing. I have a daughter. You're not helping Kim, though. You're just making things worse."

"You don't know a damn thing about me."

"Yeah, maybe not. I know if it was my little girl, though, I'd do anything, even something this monumentally stupid, if I thought I could protect her. If something happened to her mother like what happened to your wife…" Danny trailed off, shaking his head. "I'd take care of my baby girl."

"Touching."

"You can't protect her any more. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you might just figure out a way you can actually help her." Closing the file that was in front of him, Danny stood up and walked out the door.

- Hide quoted text -

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"So. How do you know Kim Bauer?" Flack asked as he sat down across from Tony.

"She's my best friend's daughter. And I used to be her boss."

"At CTU?"

"Yes."

"What kind of employee was she?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Nothing I say is going to help you make your case about Kim."

"Because you're protecting her?"

"Because she didn't do it."

"And how do you know that, Mr. Almeida?"

"Because I've known Kim for years. Because she couldn't even kill the woman who murdered her mother when she was given the chance. And because she cared about Chase."

"Maybe she was jealous. I hear he was planning on asking his girlfriend to marry him."

"So?" Tony scoffed. "That's a stupid reason to kill someone, and Kim's not stupid."

"Then explain her fingerprints on the murder weapon."

"I can't. But she didn't kill Chase."

Flack sat back, deciding to try a different track. "What about Edmunds' little girl…Angela?"

Tony frowned in confusion. "What about her?"

"She's missing."

"What? Since when?"

Flack shrugged. "She never made it to school this morning. We think whoever killed Edmunds and his woman took Angela as well."

"Why?"

"Maybe Kim was desperate for a family, and Edmunds didn't want to get back together. Maybe she didn't mean to kill him. Maybe she snapped and took the girl, thinking she'd make a little family for herself –"

Tony wasn't sure how it happened, but as Flack's words sank in, he was suddenly on his feet, his fist lashing out. It collided with the cop's face, sending him backwards as he fell out of his chair. Knowing that he had gone too far, Tony kept his distance, trying to let his temper cool.

"You know nothing about Kim Bauer," he said, his voice low. "Or the things she's been through. She would never hurt Chase, and she would _never_ do anything to hurt his little girl."

Flack pushed himself to his feet, one hand holding his jaw. "I could arrest you for assaulting a police officer."

"Yeah, but it would make you look like a pansy," Tony shot back.

Don stared at him thoughtfully for a moment. "Why don't you sit down and calm yourself, Mr. Almeida? I'll be back in a little bit." As he headed toward the door, Flack turned back. "And I'll make sure to tell your friend how zealously you defended his daughter."

Without another word, he left the room.

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"You're treating me like a suspect," Chloe said, eyeing Stella warily when the woman reentered the room.

"We just have some questions we want you to help us answer Ms. O'Brian," Stella explained, taking a seat at the table.

"Do I need a lawyer?"

"Is that would make you more comfortable."

"You're not gonna tell me that you can't help me once I lawyer up?"

"You're not under arrest. We just want to ask you some questions."

Chloe's eyes narrowed.

"Would you like to know why Mr. Bauer is here?" Stella continued, watching Chloe's face for any sign of emotion. "I couldn't help but notice your reaction when you saw him."

Chloe shrugged. "They were partners. If someone from CTU came after Chase, it would only make sense that they'd come after Jack, too, or maybe he knows something."

Stella nodded. "You've given it a lot of thought. You're wrong though. We think Mr. Bauer's daughter killed your friend."

"Then why am I here?" Chloe demanded. "I haven't spoken to Kim in years. We weren't exactly friends."

"You're here to help us find Angela."

"You still think I had something to do with this."

"I think you know where that little girl is."

"Why I would I kidnap her? Check Chase's will, if something happens to him, I become Angela's legal guardian. Why would I kidnap her?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Stella studied the file in front of her. "Your parents died when you were very young."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Chloe demanded.

"I was raised in an orphanage."

"Are we supposed to be bonding now?" Chloe muttered.

Stella shrugged. "I'm just trying to help you out. Tell us where the kid is."

"Why do you think I know where she is?"

"Call it a hunch."

"I don't really believe in following hunches."

Stella watched the woman, her arms wrapped tightly around her body as she stared defiantly back at Stella. "You're not emotionless, Ms. O'Brian. You cared about Mr. Edmunds. If you thought something had happened to that little girl, you'd be upset."

"I don't have anything else to say," Chloe snapped. "You're wasting time you could be using to find her."

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I was hoping you'd cooperate."

"And I was hoping you'd leave me alone."

- Hide quoted text -

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"Why did you do it, Miss Bauer?" Mac asked.

Kim glared at him, her eyes still moist. "I didn't kill Chase. Or his girlfriend."

"Did you know that he was seeing someone else?" Lindsay asked.

She nodded. "He was happy."

"It must have been hard," Lindsay said quietly. "Seeing him with someone else. Watching another woman raise Angela."

"Angela was never mine. I loved that little girl, but…I knew that she wasn't mine. I never tried to force my way back into her life."

"Where were this morning, Miss Bauer?" Mac asked.

"Picking up Tony and my father from the airport."

"And you're sure you didn't make a stop at Chase's apartment?"

"Yes. I already explained this to you. I didn't kill him."

"Then why were your fingerprints on the murder weapon?"

Kim frowned. "I don't even know what the murder weapon _was_."

"Did you know that Angela is missing?" Lindsay asked suddenly.

Kim's eyes widened. "What?" she breathed.

"Just tell us where the little girl is," Mac said, leaning closer. "We can talk to the D.A., get you some leniency."

She stared at him in horror. "You think that _I_ took her? I would never hurt her. I haven't even seen her since…" Kim swallowed hard, tears streaming down her face. "Chloe."

"Chloe O'Brian? What about her?"

"If anything ever happened to Chase, she was supposed to take care of Angela. Maybe she has her."

Lindsay shook her head. "We've already talked to her. She doesn't know where she is."

Kim looked at Mac, fear clutching her stomach. "You have to find her," she said firmly. "You have to."

Mac sighed. "If you would just tell us where –" His phone rang, interrupting him. "I'll be right back," he muttered. He stepped into the hallway, bringing the phone back to his ear. "Say that again…are you sure? Dammit." Snapping the phone shut, he moved down the corridor.

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A sudden knock on the door cut off Stella's next question. Frowning, she turned to see Mac walk into the room.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said. "But there's something I think Ms. O'Brian needs to know."

"And what's that?" Chloe snapped before Stella could respond.

"I just got a call from dispatch. Apparently someone broke into your apartment."

Chloe frowned. "What? Why?"

Mac looked at her intently. "My guess? They're looking for something that they didn't find at Chase's. Do you have any idea what that might be?"

Chloe just stared at him, trying not to squirm uncomfortably. Her mind raced, but she knew that she couldn't tell him anything – not yet. Sitting back, she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I'm done talking," she said firmly.


	4. Chapter 3

Chloe stared in amazement at her apartment, all words momentarily escaping her. Whoever had broken in had done a _lot_ of breaking – her stuff was strewn across the floor haphazardly, while glass shards littered the kitchen tile as though they had thrown every cup she'd ever owned onto the ground.

Stepping gingerly, she moved through the rooms, amazed at the damage that had been done. Her curtains had been slashed, along with her pillows, and every shelf in the apartment had been emptied of its contents.

"Chloe?"

She looked up, suddenly remembering that she wasn't alone. Stella gave her a sympathetic look.

"I know it's difficult, but…can you tell if anything's missing?"

Chloe frowned. "I don't really have anything worth stealing. They smashed the TV, and I don't have any expensive jewelry…they even broke my laptop."

Flack picked it up. "Why would they do that? It looks like a nice piece of equipment."

"Frustration," Mac supplied. He turned to Chloe. "Was there any information on that computer that they might have wanted?"

She shrugged uncomfortable. "I don't know. It doesn't matter though. Nobody can get into my files. They're more protected than the ones at CTU ever were."

Mac knew that she was holding something back, and he knew that it was important. But he could see the faintest hint of fear in Chloe's eyes, and he knew that she was going to play her cards close to her chest.

"Is there any place else that they could get any of that information?" he asked quietly.

She stared at him for a minute before her eyes widened. Turning, she rushed into her bedroom, going right for the nightstand by her bed. The drawers had already been pulled out, their contents spilled on the floor, and Chloe dug through the chaos desperately.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she cursed, tears building in her eyes.

A gentle hand rested on her elbow, helping her back to her feet. She sniffed before turning to see Mac standing in front of her.

"What's missing?" he asked.

"My date book."

"And why is that so important?"

Her jaw clenched. "It's not, I just…"

"What was in there that you didn't want them finding?"

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not saying another word until I speak with Jack Bauer."

"You think Bauer had something to do with this?" Flack asked.

Chloe shook her head. "You really don't know anything."

"Enlighten me."

"If you let me talk to Jack Bauer I'll tell him where Angela is, and he can go and get her and bring her back here, and you'll see that she's fine."

"We should just take your word on all of that," Stella said.

"You gotta be crazy if you think that we're gonna go for that," Flack added.

"Just tell us where the little girl is," Mac added. "We'll get you a deal, whatever you need."

"I didn't have anything to do with this," Chloe insisted.

"Then why won't you tell us where Angela is?" Stella asked.

"She's like a daughter to me," Chloe said softly. "If Chase couldn't keep her safe, you people can't."

"But you think Jack Bauer can?" Mac asked.

Chloe nodded. "He's the only one left who can."

"I will make you a promise," Mac said. "You tell us where Angela is and we will take Bauer with us, Almeida too, if you want. All we care about it bringing her back safely and finding out what happened to your friend."

Chloe sat on the edge of the couch, sinking down. "Bill Buchanan and Karen Hayes have a home in upstate New York," she whispered, rattling off the address. "When we moved to the city we came up with a plan, if we ever thought we were in danger, we'd call them and they'd come and get Angela and keep her with them until the threat was over."

"What makes you think Angela is there now?"

"A couple of days ago Chase said he thought someone was following him."

"Why didn't you tell us that earlier?" Flack demanded.

"I thought if you figured out where Angela was you'd get her killed."

"We'll call you once we have the girl," Mac assured Chloe, standing up.

"I'm coming with you," Chloe said, following them.

"No, you're not," Flack muttered.

"I didn't work for the government for years without learning how to get around people like you to get what I want. If I don't go with you, I'm going on my own."

"Fine," Flack said with a sigh. "Come on."

88888888

"You don't have to baby-sit me," Kim said, watching Lindsay across the table from.

"It's sort of my job."

"You drew the short stick?"

Lindsay smiled. "I just had a baby. They keep me sort of close to home."

Kim stared at the table. "Am I going to jail?"

"Probably not. It's much more likely that whoever is trying to get to Angela killed Mr. Edmunds, and you couldn't have broken into Ms. O'Brian's apartment because you were here." Lindsay paused. "Do you want to tell me how your fingerprint ended up on the bookend?"

"The bookend," Kim said softly. "It used to be mine, I bought them when we were together, but when we broke up, I left them."

Lindsay nodded silently.

"I was there, I was at the apartment this morning, but Chase was alive when I left, and I never saw the girl."

"I believe you," Lindsay murmured.

"I saw them in the park, Chase, and Angela, that little park across from their building. I was walking down the street one day and I saw them, I watched them go into their building. I know it sounds crazy, but I…I just wanted to talk to him."

"You were still in love with him."

Kim shook her head. "Not that exactly. I've just been lonely for so long. The last time anything in my life was right I was with Chase, I just thought if I could get him back," Kim shrugged. "Maybe I could get it all back. It sounds crazy, I know. We had a fight, he told me he was getting married. I thought if I told you, I'd sound crazy."

"And we'd think you killed him," Lindsay finished. "There's no law against being hung up on your ex."

Kim smiled nervously.

"Do you want some coffee of something?" Lindsay asked.

Kim shook her head. "The cop that was with you this morning, the one with the glasses, he's your husband?"

Lindsay nodded. "Danny."

"Before I knew you were there to arrest me, I saw you. He watches you. I saw you, and I was thinking it must be really nice, to have someone look at you the way he looks at you."

Lindsay smiled shyly. "Yeah, it's not so bad."

"How old is your baby?" Kim asked.

"She was five months last week. Her name's Mackenzie."

"Pretty. I'd like to have a baby someday. When I was with Chase, taking care of Angela…it was almost like being a mom." Kim was silent for a moment.

"They'll find her," Lindsay assured her. "They'll bring her back. She'll be fine."

"Your husband went with them, with my father and Tony?"

Lindsay nodded.

"Does that scare you?"

"It's the job. I try not to think about it."

"They know what they're doing," Kim murmured. "My father, Tony, they're the best at what they do."

"I get the feeling your ex-boyfriend was probably pretty good, too, and look what happened to him."

Kim frowned. "You're gonna figure out who's behind this."

Lindsay shook her head. "I'm not so sure. The people I work with, we're the best at what we do, and everything we found led us right to you. We're just going wherever the people behind all of this want us."

888888888

The plan was to park some distance from the house and to move in on it from all directions. They would hit it hard and fast, taking out anybody that didn't belong there. Mac put them all under strict orders to not take kill shots – he wanted them taken alive, so that they could get to the bottom of whatever was happening.

That plan was shot to hell when they saw smoke billowing up from the direction of Bill and Karen's house. Chloe's heart leapt into her throat as she stared at it, fear cramping her stomach. Now she knew why neither Bill nor Karen had answered her 911 page – whoever was after Angela had already gotten to them.

The SUVs came to a sudden stop in the driveway, and everyone spilled out, guns at the ready. Tony and Flack ran around to the back of the house, with a handful of cops, while the rest of them moved toward the front door. Jack and Mac took the lead, both moving cautiously, their bodies tense.

As soon as Jack was over the threshold, he saw Bill Buchanan lying on the floor of the living room. Flames were inching towards him, tendrils licking at the soles of his shoes. Jack ran to him without hesitation, dragging him into the foyer and away from immediate danger. Once there, he shook the former CTU director, trying to bring him back to consciousness.

Tony and Flack came into the room then, their guns lowered. Flack shook his head in frustration. "There's no one else here."

"We need to get out of here," Mac said. "This house isn't going to stand much longer."

Bill groaned again, and his eyes fluttered open. He struggled at first, trying to get out of Jack's grasp, but when he finally recognized who it was, his movements stilled. Lifting one arm, he grabbed the front of Jack's shirt with surprising strength.

"We have to find them," he gasped. "They took them, Jack. They took them both."


	5. Chapter 4

Chloe stared at the ruined house, the smoke burning her eyes, causing them to water.

"We're going to find her," Stella said, stepping up behind Chloe.

"You're doing a hell of a job so far," Chloe muttered.

Both women stopped talking as they heard the first sirens approaching them.

"Where is she?" Chloe demanded when Jack crossed the yard to the spot where she was standing.

"I don't know yet."

"Is Bill alive?" she asked more softly.

Jack nodded as they watched the paramedics load the man onto a stretcher. "He regained consciousness, but only for a minute," Jack explained. "Tony's going with him to the hospital, he'll call as soon as he gets a chance to talk to Bill and find out what happened."

Chloe stared at Jack silently for a long moment before turning away when Danny, Flack, and Mac joined them.

"I'm sending Flack back into the city," Mac said. "He and Lindsay are going back to Chase's apartment to see if there's anything we missed. Danny, Stella, and I are staying here, going through the house to see if we can find anything that might lead us to the people who took Angela and Karen."

Jack nodded. "I'll stay here." He turned to Chloe. "You should go back to the city too, get a computer, see what you can find."

Chloe nodded slowly, her eyes still on the house.

Flack turned, following Stella to the car while she grabbed her kit.

"Be careful," he said softly.

"I always am."

"I'm serious Stell. I still owe you breakfast."

Stella gave him a smile. "Believe me, I plan on taking you up on that."

88888888

"Hey, Mac!"

Although the call was directed at Mac, it drew Stella and Jack's attention as well, and the three of them jogged over to where Danny was processing. He was squatting by the large picture window in the living room, examining the curtains.

"What have you got, Danny?" Mac asked.

"I think I found the incendiary device."

He held up a piece of metal, charred from the fire. Mac took it from him, taking a closer look at it. Jack moved in, examining the device as well.

"That's no toy," he murmured.

"No it's not," Mac agreed. "This is some pretty sophisticated work. Not many guys in New York could do it." He glanced at the window. "They had to have broken in, setting the device below the curtains. It would have a remote trigger, and the spark would be just enough to light the set the fabric on fire."

"They wanted them out of the house," Stella realized.

Mac nodded. "So that they could pick them up outside. Easier to handle three people recovering from smoke inhalation than a couple defending a child and their home."

"But we found Bill shot inside," Danny pointed out.

Stella shrugged. "Maybe he thought the attack was coming from another part of the house and stayed to fight. He would have sent Karen and Angela outside, to keep them away from the danger…"

"Not realizing that he was sending them right into the hands of the people looking for them," Danny finished.

Jack crossed his arms. "So that leaves the question…who in New York knows how to make these things?"

Mac gave him a grim smile. "I know a guy."

888888888

"Do I have to go in there?" Kim asked as she stood next to Lindsay outside the door to Chase's apartment.

"It would be helpful," Lindsay answered. "I need you to tell me exactly what you saw when you were here."

Both women turned when Flack and Chloe stepped off the elevator.

"Did you get the computer?" Chloe asked.

Lindsay nodded, handing her the laptop bag as Flack opened the door. Chloe hesitated in the doorway, taking a breath before stepping inside. She moved slowly, finally settling at the dining room table and taking out the computer. 

"This is the best you could do?" she demanded.

"It's the best we have," Lindsay answered.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's pathetic."

"I'm gonna start canvassing the neighbors," Flack interrupted. "Call if you need anything."

Lindsay nodded, watching Kim.

"I can't do this," the younger woman said, staring at the dark red stains on the floor.

Lindsay took her by the arm and led her into the kitchen. "Breathe," she murmured.

"I didn't see anything," Kim said. "I can't help you. Don't you think if I knew anything, I'd tell you?"

"I know you would, but sometimes people see things and don't even realize what they've seen."

"I came in, I talked to Chase, I wasn't even here for ten minutes."

"Melissa wasn't here?"

"No."

"What about outside, did you see anyone?"

Kim shook her head. "I wasn't really paying attention."

"Okay. You're doing great, Kim."

"I haven't done anything."

"You gave us a timeline. I know how hard this is for you. Just keep breathing, try to think of anything that you saw."

Kim shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, really. Stay here, alright?"

Kim nodded as Lindsay stepped away and went to the table where Chloe was working.

"Find anything?" Lindsay asked.

"This computer sucks."

"You mentioned that."

"I've been through his phone records, bank accounts, there's nothing unusual."

"What about Melissa?"

"I'm just getting into her cell phone records."

"Legally?"

"People don't generally give me tasks like that if they want them to be accomplished legally."

"You're that good?"

"Yes." Chloe turned the screen to Lindsay and stood up. "I'll be back."

Lindsay nodded, reading through the information.

Chloe stepped slowly into the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" she asked Kim.

Kim shook her head. "Are you?"

"You know me. Cold. Detached."

"That's not you."

Chloe shrugged.

"I'm sorry," Kim said softly. "I know how much you loved him."

"I've gotten used to losing people I love."

"You never get used to something like this." Kim stared at the floor. "What about Angela?"

"No one knows where she is."

"My dad and Tony will find her."

Chloe nodded. "I should get back to work."

Kim reached out and squeezed her hand. "It's going to be okay, Chloe."

8888888888

Tony sat by Bill's bed, staring at the former CTU director as he slept. It had been a long time since he had seen the man, but not much had changed, physically at least. He had always thought that the older man looked more like a nice grandfather than a man commanding a federal agency – although he knew that Buchanan had been more than adequate for the job.

Seeing him, though, brought back memories of Michelle. Tony remembered the jealousy that had surged through him when he thought that the older man was sleeping with his ex-wife. He regretted that now, after everything Bill had done for him. He was the only reason that Tony was still alive after Henderson tried to kill him. Sitting in the hospital, waiting for him to wake up, he knew that he should have kept in better contact since then. But even now, years later, the sight of the older man's face reminded him that Buchanan had only been able to save him – and not Michelle.

A small groan interrupted his thoughts, and Tony turned to see Bill's eyes slowly opening. His gaze narrowed as he took in the room, and then settled on Tony.

"Tony…?" His eyes widened as it all came back to him. "My God – Karen, Angela – "

He struggled to sit up, but Tony was there immediately, pushing him back down onto the bed.

"You need to rest, Bill, or you're going to tear the stitches."

"They have Karen," he argued.

"I know. But we're going to get them back." Tony waited until Bill's eyes met his own. "We're going to get them back," he repeated firmly.

Knowing that he was right, Bill nodded, laying down against the cushions. The sudden movement had hurt his side, and little beads of sweat stood on his forehead. He looked at Tony thoughtfully.

"Where's Jack?" he asked.

"Back at your house. He's working with the local cops to try and find Karen and Angela."

"What about Chase?"

Tony closed his eyes as he realized that Bill didn't know what had happened in the last few hours. Taking a deep breath, he related the whole story, telling him about Chase's death, that of his fiancé, and how Kim had been arrested for the murders. Bill was just as adamant as he had been about Kim's innocence – she may have gone through her rocky periods, but she would never kill Chase.

"So they killed Chase and Melissa, and then came after Angela," Bill summarized. "But…why did they take Karen? Why didn't they just kill her?"

"I was hoping you would have some answers," Tony admitted.

Bill shook his head. "The plan was, that if Chase ever thought he was in trouble, Angela would go to Chloe, and then come to us. But I don't know who would come after him. He hasn't been an agent in years, and his last post was in L.A."

"The C.S.I.s are digging into his life now. But so far…we've got nothing to go on."

"We have to find them, Tony," he said fiercely. "We have to."

Tony could do nothing but nod his agreement.

8888888888

"What did the neighbors say?" Lindsay asked when Flack returned.

"The only thing of interest they mentioned was that the last few weeks the fiancé seemed different."

"Different how?"

"Stressed, distracted, withdrawn." He turned to Chloe. "Does that sound right to you?"

She shrugged. "Melissa and I weren't exactly close."

"What about Chase?" Flack continued. "Did he mention anything?"

"Not really."

"Not really, what does that mean?" Flack pressed.

"Last week she snapped at Angela."

"And that was strange?" Lindsay prompted.

Chloe nodded. "She was good with Angela. Chase would never have fallen in love with her if she wasn't."

Flack nodded to the computer. "I want you to get anything you can on her."

8888888888888

"So who is this guy?" Jack asked as Mac drove him and Stella through the city.

"Simon Crosetti. He's a…contractor of sorts. Mostly does work for the mob, but if you pay him enough, he'll do any job."

"And you think he made the incendiary device?"

Mac shrugged. "Could be. If he didn't, he's sure to know who did, though. Like I said, there aren't many guys out there who can do this kind of stuff. And Simon knows every single one of them."

Reaching their destination, Mac parked the SUV next to the curb, and the three of them climbed out. Simon Crosetti lived on the fifth floor of the apartment building, and the elevator was broken – forcing them to take the stairs.

"This guy gets paid a hefty sum for his work, doesn't he?" Stella asked, looking at the cracking paint in confusion.

Mac nodded. "He likes to think he's "slumming it." Makes him feel like he's more authentic when he talks about growing up in the 'hood."

"Did he?" Jack asked.

The detective laughed quietly. "He's a former rich kid from Greenwich, Connecticut. Learned bomb making and fire-starting in his spare time, and then moved out here to live on the "street." Takes himself way too seriously."

They finally came to the bomb-maker's door, and Mac knocked loudly. There was some grumbling from inside the apartment, and then a voice called out.

"Who's there?"

"Police," Mac responded. "Open up, Simon, or we'll break the door down."

They heard chains being removed and locks being undone, and then the door opened. The man on the other side was young and attractive, his dark eyes dancing with mirth.

"Detective Taylor," he greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We've got some questions for you, Simon. Can we come in?"

Crosetti's eyes found Stella, traveling up and down her body. "As long as she comes in with you."

Jack's hand lashed out, grabbing the front of Simon's shirt and pushing his way into the room. "Keep your eyes to yourself," he growled, throwing the kid onto the dingy couch.

"Hey, hey," Simon objected, his hands raised in surrender. "I was just appreciating."

"Keep it up, and you'll be appreciating my fists," Jack warned.

Crosetti looked up at Mac balefully. "Who the hell is this guy?"

Mac smiled. "He's a federal agent, Simon, so I'd watch it if I were you – they do things differently in his line of work. And I don't think you'd find that very pleasant."

He stood up, anger flashing in his eyes. "I don't what you're playin' at here, Taylor, but I don't like being threatened in my own space. So ask your questions and then escort yourselves outta here."

Stella stepped forward, holding up the evidence bag that held the remains of the incendiary device. "This was found at a crime scene – and it's got your name all over it."

Crosetti studied the device, and then looked back up at her. "I don't start fires."

"Bullshit," Mac argued.

"I'm outta that business," he maintained. "I'm strictly into bombs now. Fires are too easy to trace."

A noise came from the kitchen, and everyone turned to see Jack opening a drawer, pulling out knives and other sharp utensils before laying them down on the counter.

"You're lying to us, Simon," he said, his voice eerily quiet. "And I hate being lied to."

"Look, man, I already told you – "

Shots fired and glass exploded, cutting off the conversation. Both Mac and Jack pulled out their weapons, rushing to the window to see who had fired on them. But no more bullets came, and there was no one to be seen.

"That shot came from somewhere high," Jack said.

Mac nodded. "Stella, call it in." When he didn't get a response, he turned around. "Stell – "

But instead of kneeling by Simon Crosetti's body, Stella was laying on the ground, unmoving – a pool of blood forming beneath her.


	6. Chapter 5

Flack stepped away from the dining room when his phone rang. "What have you got Mac?"

"There was a shooting," Mac said.

"What the hell happened?" Flack demanded.

"Calm down. You're still with Lindsay?"

"Yeah," Don said softly, stepping further into the living room. "Did something happen to Danny?"

"No, no, Danny's fine."

"Then tell me what happened, dammit."

Mac sighed. "Stella's been shot."

"What?" Flack breathed.

"I need Lindsay in the lab. You have to go to the hospital."

Lindsay glanced up, watching him, standing up when he paled.

"What happened?" she demanded. "What is it?"

"There was…there was a shooting," he explained.

"Danny," she whispered.

"He's fine," Flack said quickly, taking Lindsay's arm and pulling her into a tight hug. "He's still on the scene, he wasn't even there when it happened."

Lindsay closed her eyes, breathing again. "What happened?" she repeated.

"Stella was shot."

"What?" Lindsay asked, pulling back and staring at him.

"We have to go."

"Why?" Chloe demanded. "What's going on?"

"Stella's been shot."

"Jack," Chloe said. "What happened, is he okay?"

"He's fine," Flack said. "Lindsay's taking you back to the lab, I assume he'll be there." Flack shook his head. "I don't know, I have to go, I have to go to the hospital."

Lindsay reached out, grabbing Don's arm. "Give her my love."

He nodded, hugging Lindsay again. "Go find the bastard who did this."

8888888888888

Flack paced back and forth, his chest so tight that it hurt. The doctor hadn't come out to talk to him yet, and all he knew was that Stella had been shot. That knowledge alone sent him reeling, sucking all the air out of his lungs even as he tried to breathe.

_It should have been me_. That one thought echoed in his head, making it impossible for him to think clearly. He replayed the events over and over again, looking for ways he could have saved her. In the end, he could only come to one conclusion – he should have sent _her_ back to the vic's apartment with Lindsay. If he had done that, he wouldn't be pacing in a hospital waiting room right now.

"You know, wearing a hole in the floor isn't going to heal the hole in her chest."

Flack stopped his pacing and looked up sharply. Tony leaned against the wall, a curious sympathy in his eyes.

Don shook his head. "What would you know about it?" he growled.

Tony shrugged and pushed off of the wall. "More than you think."

He moved across the room, taking a seat in one of the chairs. Don watched him for a minute, before flopping down next to him.

"How did you know I was here?" he asked.

"Jack called me. Told me what happened." He looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry about your friend."

Tears sprang to Flack's eyes, but he fought them back. "How's Buchanan?"

"He's gonna be alright," Tony answered. "The bullet didn't hit anything major."

"Did he give you anything useful?"

"Not really."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, having run out of things to say. But Don could feel his restless energy building again, and he figured he'd rather talk than pace.

"What did you mean earlier?" he finally asked. "When you said you know more than I think?"

Tony pressed his thumb into his palm, his eyes locked on the floor. "My wife was killed in the line of duty," he said quietly.

Don closed his eyes. "Hey, man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"It was a few years ago," the former agent continued. "Jack had gone on the run, and someone was killing everyone who knew. Bill saved me, but…Michelle was already dead."

"I'm sorry," Flack repeated.

Tony shook his head. "Does she know?"

Don frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Stella. Does she know how you feel about her?" When the other man's gaze dropped to the floor, Tony laughed. "It's not hard to see, Don. You look at her the way I used to look at Michelle."

Before Flack could answer, an old man in a while doctor's coat came into the room.

"Detective Flack?"

Don practically jumped up. "Yeah?"

The man smiled. "Detective Bonasera's going to be just fine. The bullet nicked an artery, but we were able to stop the bleeding. You can go see her if you'd like."

Flack almost cried in relief.

888888888888888

Danny watched the way Lindsay moved around the lab, her back to him, her movements stiff and robotic.

"Montana," he said softly, sighing when she ignored him. "Lindsay."

"What?" she muttered.

"Talk to me."

"I can't. I'm busy."

"Lindsay."

"Do you have something to say other than my name?"

"Take a break. Take a walk with me."

"I can't."

"You need to."

Lindsay sighed, frowning when Danny stepping in behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "We're at work," she protested weakly. "We're supposed to be professional."

"Look around. You see anybody who cares?"

Lindsay closed her eyes, resting against him. "I saw the pictures from the scene. There was a lot of blood."

"She's strong."

"She's my best friend." Lindsay sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "I sound like I'm in the third grade."

"No you don't," Danny said, pressing his lips tenderly to her hair. "I love you."

"I love you too," Lindsay whispered, pulling away when the receptionist knocked on the door.

"You have visitors," the girl explained. "Detective Taylor said they could wait in his office for you."

Lindsay frowned, glancing at Danny before slowly walking across the lab. Danny was at her heels, reaching around her to open the door to Mac's office, smiling when he saw his mother holding Mackenzie.

"Hi ma," he murmured.

"Mackenzie missed you," his mother explained. "I thought it might be okay to bring her by to see you before she has to go to bed."

Danny nodded. "Could you give us a few minutes?" he asked, reaching and lifting the baby from her arms.

Lindsay was silent as she watched the woman leave the room, wordlessly reaching for her daughter and cradling her to her chest.

"Hi baby," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Hello my sweet, beautiful girl."

Danny slipped into position behind Lindsay, resting his head on her shoulder and reaching over to stroke the baby's cheek. Mackenzie turned to him, giving him a sleepy smile, reaching for Lindsay hair and tugging softly.

"That little girl is out there somewhere," Lindsay said. "God, she must be terrified."

"We'll find her," Danny assured her. "Everything's gonna be okay, Lindsay."

They stood there together, swaying slightly, until Mackenzie was asleep and Lindsay's tears were dry.

888888888

Chloe sat in front of the laptop, clicking away at the keys. Her nose crinkled and her scowl deepened as she started at the screen, scrolling through the information.

Jack stood in the doorway and watched. It had been so long since he had seen her, and now they were thrown together again. As he stared at the long dark hair falling down her back, he realized with an ache just how much he had missed her. L.A. felt empty and unstable without her, and Jack was hit with the sudden knowledge that he didn't want to go back to that.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" Chloe asked without turning around. "'Cause it's kinda creepy."

Jack chuckled and walked into the room, stopping when he was next to her. "How did you know I was there?"

She shrugged uncomfortably. "I always know when you're around, Jack."

He let that sink in, feeling the undertones in her words. He wanted to follow it, to see where it went, but he could tell from the hunch of her shoulders that she was shutting down again.

"What are you looking for?" he asked instead, nodding at the computer screen.

"Anything at this point," she sighed. "But I can't find any trace of somebody hunting Chase. No unusual phone calls, no visits…everything looks normal."

Jack heard the catch in her voice when she said Chase's name. Hesitantly, he rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. Chloe stiffened at the contact, but he kept his hand there.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I know how much he meant to you."

Tears stung her eyes, but Chloe did everything she could to hold them back. "How's Kim holding up?"

"Better now that they don't suspect her of murder. Chloe, I…"

"Don't," she said, her voice wavering. "I know you mean well, Jack, but I can't do this right now. I don't have time to mourn him. I have to find who killed him. I have to find Angela."

He moved his hand from her shoulder, tucking her hair behind her ear and then touching her face. "I understand. But I'm here, Chloe. You aren't alone anymore…"

A tear slid down her cheek, and she opened her mouth to speak. But before she could say anything, something popped up on the computer screen, capturing her attention. Frowning, she pulled away from the man beside her so that she could read the new information.

"Chloe?" Jack asked, seeing the color drain from her face. "What is it?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes wide. "We were wrong, Jack. They were never after Chase."


	7. Chapter 6

"Go get the cops," Chloe told Jack as she put the information from her computer on the screens around the room. She waited until Jack returned with Mac, Lindsay and Danny before speaking.

"It turns out Melissa wasn't really Melissa," she explained. "Her real name was Elizabeth Jones. She had a cell phone under that name, I'm tracing the numbers now. She also had a bank account, it has close to a million dollars in it."

"Who the hell was she?" Jack demanded.

"I don't know," Chloe answered. "I'm trying to figure that out."

"How could you let this happen?"

Chloe turned to face him. "Let this happen? You're blaming this on me?"

"You didn't do a background check?"

"He was happy," she snapped.

"And now he's dead."

The blood drained from Chloe's face. "Go to hell Jack," she muttered before pushing past the C.S.I.s and leaving the room.

88888888888

Flack's breath caught in his throat when he walked into the room. He had promised himself the last time that he would do everything in his power to keep this from happening again. But as he stared at her, surrounded by machines and artificial light, a heavy sense of failure crashed down on him.

"Stop it."

Her voice startled him, and when his gaze met hers, he was surprised to see the fire in her eyes.

"Stop it," she repeated.

He gave her a confused smile. "I'm not doing anything."

Stella rolled her eyes. "You're blaming yourself. And I want you to stop it."

The smile slid from his face as he came closer to her bed. "I –"

"No." Her voice was firm. "There is nothing you have done, Flack. Let it go."

He shook his head. "I should have stayed at the scene. You could have gone with Lindsay and O'Brian…"

Stella watched the pain on his face, her heart going out to him. He took the blame so easily, she wondered how he managed to carry such a burden. Gentling her expression, she held out her hand to him; Don took it, letting her pull him closer until he was sitting on the bed, their fingers still entwined.

"But then," she pointed out quietly, "you'd be lying here instead of me. And I would not be okay with that, Don."

He stared down at their hands. "I thought I'd lost you," he whispered.

Stella reached out to take his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. "You can't always protect me."

Flack gave her a half-smile. "Can I at least try?"

She couldn't help but return his grin. "As long as you promise not to be an idiot about it."

They stared at each other, Stella's thumbs moving in slow circles across his cheeks. Don lifted his own hand, brushing a stray curl from her face, and then letting his touch linger.

"I can't lose you," he murmured.

He leaned in slowly, tentatively touching his lips to hers. Stella held his head steady as she responded, kissing him more firmly when he went to pull back. They took their time, neither of them moving to deepen the kiss as the world dropped away around them.

88888888888

Mac turned away from the room as the phone rang.

"Detective Taylor?"

Mac frowned at the modified voice coming through the phone. "Run a trace," he said under his breath before putting the call on speaker. "This is Mac Taylor."

"I think I have something you might be interested in."

"What's that?"

"You give me O'Brian and Jack Bauer, and you can have Ms. Hayes and the little girl."

"I need more than that. You have to give me some kind of proof that they're unharmed."

"Send Jack and Chloe, alone, to Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, in two hours, and you'll get everything you need," the voice said before hanging up.

"The call was untraceable," Chloe said softly. "They had it programmed to bounce off of cell towers all around the city. There's no way to know where it was coming from."

Mac nodded. "Take the recording apart," he said to Lindsay. "See if you can get anything."

Jack stared at Chloe as the others left the room. "I don't want you anywhere near that place when all of this is going down."

"I don't really care what you want," she muttered.

"You aren't going, Chloe. I won't let it happen."

"They won't give us Karen and Angela if we don't both go Jack, you heard what they said."

"I don't care what some psychopath that killed two people this morning said."

Chloe stared at him. "This is Angela," she whispered. "If I can get her back…it doesn't matter what happens to me, Jack. She's the only thing I have left."

"I don't know if I can protect you."

"I'm not sure any of us ever could. I did a background check on Melissa. Just Melissa. I didn't dig any deeper. Chase was happy. She was good with Angela. I just thought…I wanted somebody to get a happy ending, you know?"

"Yeah," he said softly. "I know."

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Tony's eyes fluttered open as his phone rang, and he picked his head up off the wall behind his chair. Jet lag had hit him hard as he waited at the hospital, and he decided that he was going to pick up a few precious moments of sleep while he could. But when he looked down and saw who was calling him, he knew that he was done resting.

"Almeida."

"Tony, it's Jack."

"Did something happen?"

"You could say that," Jack growled. "We got a ransom call."

Tony's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "For Angela and Karen? These guys want money?"

"Not exactly."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"They want to trade Angela and Karen for me and Chloe."

"You're kidding."

"No. We're supposed to go alone to the Bethesda Fountain in two hours."

Tony caught the tone in his friend's voice. "You're not actually thinking of going, are you?"

"I have no choice, Tony."

"This is a bad plan, Jack. One of your worst yet."

"We have to get them back."

"So you're just going to sacrifice yourself? And Chloe? This isn't one of your messes that you have to clean up, Jack. There's no reason to play the martyr."

"They're not going to kill us – at least not right away," Jack insisted.

"You don't know that."

"They must want something, Tony. And the only way to find out what it is is to go meet them."

Tony sighed, knowing that there was no talking him out of it. "Alright," he said, pushing himself out of the chair. "I'm on my way back. Don't do anything stupid until I get there."

As he hung up the phone, he shook his head. He needed to go get Flack.

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Stella ducked her head when Tony pushed open the door to her hospital room and Flack pulled away.

"Sorry," Tony said. "There was a call. They want to trade Jack and Chloe for Karen and Angela."

"When?" Flack asked.

"Two hours. Central Park."

Flack turned back to Stella. "I should get back to work, see if there's anything I can do."

"I'll come with you," Stella said, pulling the tape off her IV.

"You will stay right here," Flack insisted.

"I need get back to the lab."

"You were shot."

"And I'm fine."

"Because you're in the hospital. You need to stay until the doctor's say you can leave."

"I don't need your permission, Don," Stella said as she pulled the IV out. "I'm going with or without you."

Flack sighed. "Will you at least promise to take it easy?"

"I promise to try," she said as he handed her her clothes.

As the three made their way out of the hospital they ran into Bill.

"What are you doing?" Tony demanded.

"The same thing you're doing," the older man answered.

"You almost died. Karen would want to stay here, take care of yourself."

"Karen and I learned a long time ago that we can't change each other. She will understand."

Flack shook his head. "You're both impossible."

"We better go," Tony muttered. "We have to save Jack from his own stupidity."

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"You have a job for me?" she asked when he picked up the phone.

"One that requires your…personal touch," he replied, his identity hidden by the voice modifier.

"What's the target?"

"Kim Bauer."

"I've tangled with the Bauer family before – this won't be easy."

"I pay you more than enough to deal with certain challenges."

"I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting yourself into. Do you know where she is?"

"A crime lab in Manhattan. I'm sending the location to your phone now."

She pulled the phone away from her ear, watching as a map came onto her screen. Memorizing its lines, she deleted it immediately.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"I want her alive."

"Understood."

Tossing the phone back into her bag, Mandy put on her sunglasses. If she was going to get Kim Bauer out of a Manhattan crime lab, she was going to need some help.


	8. Chapter 7

Mac was surprised to see Flack come striding through the doors. He had expected the younger man to stay at the hospital, calling in when he knew how Stella was faring. When he saw who came in behind him, though, his confusion only deepened. Walking over, he stopped Flack by taking hold of his elbow.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked.

"Don't start, Mac."

"She was shot. She should be in the hospital."

"I'm fine," Stella insisted, coming up to stand beside them.

Mac turned to look at her. "No you're not."

"I can do my job, Mac," she said firmly. "You can't expect me to sit in the hospital while this little girl is still missing. I won't do it."

Without another word, she walked away, heading to Mac's office where everyone else was congregating. Mac watched her go, worry and frustration lining his eyes. When he turned back to Flack, he just looked tired.

"See?" Flack said. "I tried to make her stay, Mac. I swear."

"There wasn't some way you could have kept her there?"

He shrugged. "How would you have stopped her? You know when Stell wants to do something, she does it. She's not gonna let something keep her down – not even a gunshot wound."

Mac finally nodded. "I know." He sighed. "Let's just make sure she doesn't get hurt again, okay?"

"I swear to God, Mac," he said fiercely. "Nothin' else is gonna happen to her."

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"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mac asked, everyone gathered around him in his office.

Jack nodded. "I don't think we have a choice. We have to get Karen and Angela back, and this is our best chance."

"They might take them back to the man in charge too," Danny added. "Wouldn't hurt to know that."

Mac nodded. "Alright. We're outfitting the both of you with ear pieces and trackers –"

"That will never work," Chloe said simply.

"You don't know that," Lindsay objected.

"These guys are too good," the analyst insisted. "They'll be expecting it. And if you put trackers inside of us, I can almost guarantee that they'll have no qualms about cutting off limbs."

Danny held up the trackers. "Well, these go in the heel of your shoe. So if they find 'em, you just lose some footwear."

"It won't work," she said again.

Jack sighed. "We have to at least try it, Chloe. We don't have CTU's resources to help out with this."

She rolled her eyes, but stayed silent. Seeing that she was done arguing for the time being, Mac turned to the rest of the team.

"Alright, let's get this straight now – not all of you are coming. There's too many of us, and I still need people in the lab. Stella, you're staying here." She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "No. You're injured, and I'm not exposing you to potential gunfire yet. You'll stay here, and you'll help Danny and Lindsay with the ransom call. I want you to get everything you can off of it."

Mac had expected some argument from Danny, but he saw a look pass between the younger man and his wife, and he knew that he wasn't going to put up a fight. He silently thanked God before continuing. "Flack – you, Tony and I will go to the fountain."

"Are we letting them take Jack and Chloe?" Tony asked.

"I think we have to. Killing henchmen isn't going to get us anywhere, and then we won't know where they'll hit us next. They want something – let's find out what it is."

Danny stood up, holding two belts. "I want you guys to wear these."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Is now really the time to be making a fashion statement?"

He rolled his eyes. "Aren't you the comedian," he mumbled. "No, there's a small knife in the belt buckles. If you guys get into a jam, at least you'll have something. Watch it though, these suckers are sharp."

As he handed the belts over, Bill stood up. "I'm coming."

Jack shook his head. "Bill –"

"No, Jack. This is my wife. And I promised to take care of that little girl. I'm coming."

Mac looked the older man up and down. "You're sure you're up to this?"

He nodded. "I'm making sure these bastards give me Karen back."

Mac sighed, knowing that arguing would get them nowhere. "Alright then. Let's suit up – we move out in twenty minutes."

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"Hi sweetheart," Jack said softly, entering the room where Kim was waiting.

"Hi."

"How are you doing? I'm sorry I haven't had more time to check on you."

"It's okay." Kim sipped the water in front of her. "They're been nice to me, you know, considering they thought I killed Chase."

"I know how hard this has been on you."

"You're going to find her, aren't you? You'll find Angela and bring her back?"

"I'm going to try." Jack sat uneasily on the chair across from her. "Look, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" she asked quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"The kidnappers called. They want to trade Karen and Angela for Chloe and me."

"You're going?"

"I have to."

"No you don't. It doesn't always have to be you."

"Kim…"

"I lost my mother. I lost Chase. I've even lost you before."

"I know." He reached for her hand. "I have to try to get them back. I'm sorry."

Kim bit her lip. "But you'll come back, right?"

"I will always fight to come back to you, Kim. I love you."

"I love you too," she said, wrapping her arms around Jack and hugging him tightly. "I know why you have to go Daddy. I understand. It's okay."

Jack held her to him for a long moment. "I'm so proud of you, of who you've become. Your mother would be too."

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"Oh, hey," Flack said, looking up when he heard Stella enter the room.

"You're getting ready to go?" she asked.

He nodded. "Find anything on the tape yet?"

"Not yet. I have the feeling it's going to be a long night."

He gave her a smile. "Is it too much to ask if I ask you to take it easy?"

She shook her head. "I have something I need to ask you too."

"Anything."

"You can't go getting shot, you know," she said, closing the space between their bodies. "You have to be careful."

"I will be."

"I mean it, Flack. I've just found you. I can't lose you again."

"Then I guess I better hurry back," he said, kissing her passionately.

"Take care of yourself," she said, giving him a final hug.

"You too, Stell," he said softly. "You too."

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Jack and Chloe stood next to the fountain, their eyes roaming over the land around them. There weren't too many people out – the weather had taken a decidedly nasty turn, and snow was starting to fall heavily. It blanketed the ground, muffling the sounds of the traffic on the outskirts of the Park.

Jack could feel the others standing around them. They were hidden by trees and brush, but he knew that they were there, watching them. He wished that that gave him some sense of comfort, but he knew all too well how easily things could go awry. Right now, the only thing he cared about was getting Karen and Angela back safely. He'd worry about the rest later.

His attention was caught by three men walking towards them. They looked no different from the other people he had seen in the park, but to Jack, they stood out like sore thumbs. He watched them warily, unconsciously taking a step closer to Chloe.

"So nice of you to join us," one of them said dryly.

"Where are Karen and Angela?" Jack demanded.

The shortest of the three stepped forward, jabbing a gun into Chloe's side. "Start walking and we'll tell you."

Chloe's eyes met Jack's, and he was once again amazed at how well she handled these things. There was fear in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by her determination. Wherever they were going, she would go with every ounce of courage that she had.

Giving her a small nod, Jack turned and let the men lead them away from the fountain. The one who spoke first took his place behind the former agent, his gun pointed at his lower back.

"Since we know your friends are listening, the woman and the girl are tied up in the northwestern corner of the Ramble." He smiled wickedly. "If they hurry, the girls won't be too cold by the time they get there."

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"Our missing girl is somewhere in the Ramble!" Flack shouted into his radio as they took off running across the park.

"Fuck," Tony cursed as they got to the entrance. "How the hell are we supposed to find them in here?"

"We have uniformed cops on the way," Mac reported. "They'll canvas the whole area."

"We might not have that kind of time," Bill argued. "My wife is in there, I'm not just going to stand around and wait."

Without waiting for a response he took off down one of the paths. He could feel his blood pounding with each step, his breath coming in frantic puffs. He tired quickly, suddenly aware of the way his body was screaming in pain. He knew he should still be in the hospital. He didn't care. He hadn't to find her, to find them.

He almost didn't see it, the tiny flash of blue in his peripheral vision. He actually ran past it before turning back. He stumbled off the path, up a hill, falling to his knees next to Karen and Angela, huddled together in the snow, their hands and legs bound.

He felt clumsy, trying to untie them. "I found them!" he called out. "They're up here!" He wrapped his arms around his wife, taking his jacket off and wrapping it around her as she pressed her face to his chest.

He didn't hear Tony approach, making his way carefully through the snow.

Tony knelt next to him, lifting Angela up and wrapping his own coat around her. "Hi there sweetheart," he said softly, carrying her back to the path. "Are you okay?"

The girl's brow wrinkled as she stared at him. "You used to know my mom," she said. Frowning, "Chloe, I mean," she added.

"I did. I do."

"Are you gonna take me home?"

"Yeah."

"To my dad?"

Tony sighed. "Right now, I'm going to take you and have you all checked out, make sure you're okay, and then we're going to see if you can help us catch the bad guys who tried to hurt you okay?"

Angela nodded tired, resting her head on his shoulder. "Okay."

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The men led Jack and Chloe down through Central Park, passing Sheep Meadow and the carousel. They walked on until they reached Columbus Circle. As they neared the traffic, a nondescript black van pulled up beside them, the side door sliding open. The men threw their captives in without any preamble, climbing in behind them.

A large black man sat inside, his dark eyes sliding over each of them.

"First things first," he said, his voice a deep rumble. "Why don't you hand over those little earpieces? That way we can be alone."

As the man next to her took her earpiece, Chloe shot Jack a look that plainly said, "I told you so." Mentally rolling his eyes, he watched warily as one of the men came closer to them, a scanner in his hand.

"We have to check for trackers as well," the black man explained. "I'm sure you understand."

The trackers in their shoes were found easily enough, and thrown out the van windows. When he was finally satisfied that they had no other devices on them, he settled back in his seat.

"I would suggest you make yourselves comfortable. We have quite a long drive ahead of us."

Jack and Chloe exchanged a quick glance as their hands were tied behind their backs and they were buckled into their seats. Whatever the man had said about being comfortable, it was obvious that he had no intentions of letting them go anytime soon.


	9. Chapter 8

"We lost the trace," Danny muttered when Flack and Mac returned to the lab. "Almost as soon as they took Bauer and O'Brian they removed the trackers."

"What about the tape?" Mac asked.

"The tape has been run through so many different filters," Stella explained, shaking her head. "We're still working on it, but so far it's been useless."

Mac nodded. "I want to look at it myself. Ms. Hayes and Angela Edmunds are on their way back here. The paramedics cleared them on the scene. Stella I want you to talk to Karen Hayes. Lindsay, you go to the little girl. Anything they can tell us about where they were taken and the people who took them is probably going to the be the best lead we have right now."

"Does Angela know about her father yet?" Lindsay asked.

"Not yet."

"Do you want me to tell her?" Lindsay asked softly.

"Give her some time with Kim Bauer before you go in. She's the closest thing she has to a mother figure since Chloe's not around and it will be good for her to have a familiar face around right now."

Lindsay nodded and turned, walking slowly down the hall and waiting outside the door.

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"Knock, knock."

Stella looked up to see Flack standing in the doorway of her office, leaning against the frame. Her chest constricted at the sight of him – it amazed her how relieved she felt to see him standing there, unscathed. She took her time, looking him up and down. Flack flashed her a smile.

"Hey."

Stella smiled back. "Hey."

She crossed the room quickly, shutting the door that he had left open and then turning to embrace him. Don held her tightly, wrapping his arms around her as he breathed her in. They stood like that for a couple of minutes, enjoying the temporary peace that they had found.

When they finally pulled back, Don opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off when Stella punched him in the arm – hard.

"Ouch! What the hell was that for?"

"For making me worry."

He sighed. "I have to do my job, Stell."

"I know," she said, playing with his tie. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it." She looked up at him. "I'm really glad you're okay."

Don smiled. "And I'm glad you managed to stay out of trouble while I was gone."

Stella went to hit him again, but he just grabbed her hand and brought his lips down to hers. The kiss was too short for both of them, but the crisis wasn't over yet.

"Come on," he said quietly. "We have to get back to work."

"And after work?" she asked.

"After work," he replied. "I am taking you out to dinner."

"Perfect answer," she smiled.

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Kim looked up when Tony entered the room, Angela still in his arms.

"Hi sweetheart," Kim said, tentatively reaching for the girl.

"Hi," Angela said softly. "Where's my dad?"

Kim blinked, her eyes filling with tears.

"Did the bad people hurt him?"

"Yeah," Kim whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Did they kill my mom too?"

"Chloe?" Kim asked.

Angela nodded, her lip trembling as tears slid down her face.

"No," Kim said.

"Where is she? I want to see her. I want my mom."

"She went to try to find the bad guys," Tony explained, placing his hand on Kim's back.

Angela sniffled, crawling into Kim's lap as she cried.

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Lindsay closed her eyes, leaning against the wall outside the room that Kim and Angela were in. Danny reached over, placing a steadying hand on her arm.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

She wordlessly shook her head.

"I can talk to the girl if it's too much for you."

"No," Lindsay said quietly. "I'll do it."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, opening her eyes slowly. "That's my worst nightmare. Something happening to Mackenzie or…or having to tell her one day that you're not coming home to us again."

"I would never do that to you."

"I wasn't thinking you'd exactly have a choice, Danny."

"Yeah, well, I'm a stubborn Italian bastard," he said, cupping her face. "I would fight the devil himself and run through the gates of Hell to get back to you. And that's a promise. I'm never leaving you or Mackenzie."

Lindsay smiled weakly, kissing him softly, her lips barely a whisper against his. "I love you," she said softly before opening the door, his hand still on her arm as they entered the room, together.

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The van finally came to a stop. The sliding door was opened, and Jack and Chloe found themselves staring at a large warehouse on the edge of the East River. The men surrounding them led them on, taking them directly into the building.

Once inside, they were taken to an office, where a computer sat on a desk. There was nothing else in the room, and there were bars on the windows. One of the men roughly grabbed Chloe, pushing her down into the chair in front of the computer. They kept Jack standing.

"Ms. O'Brian," the black man said. "We have need of your…services."

She glared up at him. "You mean you want me to hack."

"Yes."

Shaking her head, Chloe crossed her arms. "Well I won't do it."

He smiled. "Please, Ms. O'Brian. It would be in your best interest –"

"To what?" she interrupted. "To help you hack into something you have no right to so that you can hurt innocent people or steal lots and lots of money. Sorry. Not happening."

His smile faded. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes."

"Very well."

He stepped back, and two of his men dragged Jack into the middle of the room. There was an almost imperceptible nod, and one of the men slammed his fist into Jack's face. The other joined in, and together they proceeded to beat him. With his hands tied behind his back, there wasn't much Jack could do, and he knew that fighting back could endanger Chloe's life as well. Fists slammed into his face and his stomach, and he felt a ring break skin on his cheek.

Chloe watched in horror. She told herself that she needed to stay strong, that Jack wouldn't want her to give in just because they were hurting him. But as she continued to watch the beating, her mind flashed back to his stay in China. He had gone through hell for eighteen months over there, and she had spent the time furiously looking for him, to no avail. She hadn't been able to save him from his tormentors then – she could now.

"Stop!" she yelled, surprised to hear the emotion and pain in her own voice.

The man turned to look at her. "You want them to stop?" he asked. "Then agree to help us."

"Fine," she said. "Just stop hurting him."

He nodded to his men, and they backed away from the bruised and bleeding Jack. Then he lifted a pair of shackles out of a box and walked over to Chloe, kneeling in front of her.

"I am sorry for this," he told her. "But I can't have you escaping."

He shackled her feet, and then chained them to a ring in the floor that she hadn't noticed before. When he was done with her, he motioned to his men to carry Jack over. They brought him to the chair next to hers and restrained his feet in the same way.

He and his men moved toward the door. "I'll be back in a little while to give you your assignment."

The door closed behind them, leaving Jack and Chloe alone. They sat in silence for a long time, neither entirely sure of what to say. But as the minutes passed, Chloe grew even more uncomfortable than usual.

"Are you okay?" she finally asked.

"You shouldn't have done that."

She frowned at him. "What was I supposed to do? Let them beat the crap out of you?"

"Yes."

"Don't be ridiculous, Jack. I'm not going to let them –"

"We don't negotiate, Chloe!" he interrupted. " Whatever they want, you can be sure that they shouldn't have it. You can't help them just because of what they might do to me. My life doesn't matter –"

"SHUT UP!" she snapped. "Just shut up, Jack! I can't do this again. I can't sit by while people hurt you. This time I could stop them – last time I couldn't. I couldn't save you when you were in China. How could I just sit back while they hurt you in front of me? I can't do that, Jack, I just can't…"

Tears were streaming down her face, and Jack's heart broke at the sight. He never knew how much it hurt her to watch from the sidelines, to not be able to help him. Wincing at the pain in his body, he slid his chair as close to hers as he could get. He couldn't hold her with his hands tied behind his back, so he leaned his head in, placing a gentle kiss to her temple. Chloe stiffened at the contact, but Jack just continued kissing her face, wiping away her tears with his lips. When he finally reached her mouth, he hesitated, unsure of what her reaction would be. But as his eyes met hers, he saw something in her gaze that settled him. Closing the distance, he brought their lips together, kissing her slowly.

When he pulled back, Chloe was staring at him in disbelief and…he thought he saw hope flair in her eyes. He gave her a small smile – just enough to reassure her that it was okay.

"We'll make it through this…right, Jack?"

His smile grew as he kissed her again. "We always do," he whispered.

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"Where are you off to?" Mac asked as Stella came out of her office.

"You wanted me to interview Karen Hayes, right?"

He stopped. "You haven't done that yet?"

Stella shrugged. "She and her husband needed some time, Mac. The last time they had seen each other, she was being dragged off by armed men, and he was lying in a burning house with a bullet in him. They deserve a few minutes of peace before we make her relive that."

Mac sighed. "I know. I just…we don't have any real leads right now. We have no idea where Bauer and O'Brian are, if they're even alive…"

"We'll get 'em, Mac," she assured him. "And I don't think those two will go down without a hell of a fight…"

A sudden explosion from their right threw them both to the ground. Mac immediately covered Stella with his body, his gun out. Rolling her eyes in frustration, she pushed him off of her, drawing her own weapon.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded.

Before Mac could answer, the sound of gunfire reached them. Through the smoke and the haze, they saw men pour into the lab, masks on their faces, and automatic weapons in their hands.

As the officers and C.S.I.s returned fire, no one saw a short brunette woman sneak into the lab, heading down one of the corridors and toward the holding rooms.


	10. Chapter 9

As soon as the gunfire erupted, Danny and Lindsay burst into the interrogation room where Kim, Tony and Angela were. 

"What the hell's going on?" Tony demanded.

"The lab's under attack," Danny explained. "I don't know by who. But we gotta get Kim and the little girl outta here." He turned to Lindsay. "I want you to go with them."

"What? No!"

"Montana –"

"Danny, I'm not leaving you. This is my job."

He took her face in his hands, his eyes boring into hers. "Montana, I need you to do this," he said quietly. "They're gonna need someone to take care of them." His voice dropped to a whisper. "And I can't lose you, Montana. I need to know that you're safe. Please."

Lindsay heard the emotion in his voice, and she knew she couldn't fight him. "You come back to me," she told him.

He nodded. "Always."

Leaning in, she kissed him briefly on the mouth; then she turned to the others. "Alright, we'll go out the back –"

Kim was already shaking her head. "I'm not going."

"Yes you are," Tony said firmly.

She turned to face him. "No, I'm not. My dad is out there, Tony, taken hostage by God knows who. And now they're shooting up a lab. I'm sick of running from these people. I want a gun."

"No."

"You've got two choices Tony…either I go out there _with_ a gun, or I go out without one. But either way, I'm not running anymore."

They stared at each other for a long minute. As much as Tony wanted to know that she was safe and away from the fighting, he also couldn't blame her for how she felt. He knew that Jack might kill him for it later, but he handed over a gun anyway. When she went to take it, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close.

"You stay low, and if I tell you to run, you run. You got that?"

She nodded, startled by the ferocity in his voice. When he let go of her, she tucked the gun into her waistband and went to Angela, kneeling in front of the little girl.

"Why won't you come with us?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Kim reached out and ran her fingers through Angela's hair. "I need to help fight the bad guys, sweetheart. But I promise I'll do everything I can to come back to you, okay?"

Angela nodded, but tears escaped her eyes and spilled out onto her cheeks. Kim's heart broke at the sight, and she pulled the little girl against her, holding her tightly.

"I don't want to lose you too," Angela cried.

Kim closed her eyes, her own tears falling. "You won't," she promised. "And Chloe is coming back too. You know Uncle Jack won't let anything happen to her." She held her for a moment longer, before standing up and passing her to Lindsay. "Take care of her," she said to the other woman.

Lindsay nodded. "I will."

With one last look at Danny, she turned and carried Angela out of the room and away from the sound of gunfire.

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After the initial explosion, the only sounds that could be heard were bullets ricocheting off of the desks and walls, with the occasional grunt as someone took a hit. Police officers and C.S.I.s opened fire on the intruders, but the gunmen were carrying automatic weapons, spewing death faster than the cops could return it.

Flack tried to get a good look at the men shooting at them. They had the look of regular street thugs – in fact, he was sure he'd come into contact with some of them in his time as a cop. That observation nagged at him, but he didn't have time to follow it all the way through as he tried to stay alive.

He glanced to the side, and what he saw made his blood run cold. Stella was moving through the room, ducking behind desks with her gun out in front. She returned fire as best she could, but Don could see that her arm was bothering her. Sweat glistened on her forehead as she just narrowly avoided getting shot. As she tried to catch her breath, her eyes locked with his.

A bullet glanced off the desk next to Flack's head, breaking his concentration. He turned on one knee, sending his own fire back, taking out two shooters with hits to the chest. Satisfied that he was safe for the moment, he turned back to Stella. She was embroiled in her own fight, firing at a shooter who was barely old enough to be called a man. Flack followed the kid's line of sight and saw that he was shooting at Mac, and Stella was trying to take him out before her best friend got killed. 

A sound to his right made his head snap around. Another shooter was closing in, this time on Stella. In that instant, Don knew that he could never get a shot off in time to save her – a filing cabinet and another cop stood in his way. The rest of the room falling away, he launched himself up from the floor. He distantly heard himself call out her name, the desperation in his voice palpable, as he threw himself into her, knocking her to the ground.

He could barely feel the pain that flared in his side as Stella called to him. She was safe. It was only as the blackness came over him that he realized she was screaming his name.

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Tony couldn't believe how many attackers there were. It felt like every gang in the city had decided to show up, and there were too many cops that had already fallen. From where he was crouched, he could see Stella putting pressure on a wound in Flack's side – it didn't look like the detective was conscious. Hawkes was bleeding from a bullet to the leg, and Mac was cradling his left arm as though he had been hit as well. So far, things weren't looking up for the good guys.

A scream grabbed his attention, a high female voice against the sound of gunfire and curses. Looking up, he saw that Kim was no longer beside him – she had moved over to another desk, trying to get a better shot. But now she was joined by another woman, someone that Tony had never expected to see again.

Mandy grabbed Kim by the hair and jabbed her gun into her side. With an evil smile, she dragged the younger woman away from the gunfight and toward the front doors. Tony leapt to his feet, but was instantly forced back down by a barrage of bullets flying at his head. Keeping low, he weaved around the desks and bodies, doing his best to keep the two women in sight.

By the time he finally got past the shooters and out onto the street, a black SUV was already pulling away from the curb. Without hesitation, Tony grabbed an identical vehicle, not caring who it belonged to. The keys were in the ignition and it started right up; he slammed his foot down onto the gas pedal and launched into the busy Manhattan streets.

Tony could tell that it didn't take long for Mandy to realize that she was being followed. Almost immediately, the SUV began evasive maneuvers as it roared down the streets as Mandy did everything she could to get Tony off her tail. But he just kept with her, silently vowing that he would stop her before she could take Kim to whoever she was working for.

Glancing around at the street signs, Tony realized that they were headed back towards Central Park. The snow fall from the night before made the roads slick, and both vehicles were sliding as they made sharp and unexpected turns. He struggled to maintain control of the wheel, but even so he couldn't keep from sideswiping other cars on the road.

The Park appeared up ahead, and Tony tried to predict if Mandy was going to swing to the east or west. But just as he made up his mind, her SUV plowed right onto the grounds, the tires leaving heavy tracks in the snow. Tony cursed and maneuvered his own vehicle into the Park, slowing catching up with Mandy.

People jumped out of the way as the two vehicles continued their game of cat and mouse. Both SUVs were thrown into 4-wheel-drive as they plowed through the snow, making the chase through the park easier to control than when it was on the ice of the streets. 

The sound of the tires changed suddenly, and Tony looked around, noticing that they were no longer driving on just snow. He ran through a map of the Park in his head, and he realized that they had made their way onto one of the lakes. It looked as though it were frozen solid, but it didn't feel as though it could hold the weight of both cars.

Tony heard a cracking sound, and he watched in horror as the front end of the other SUV suddenly fell into the water. He slammed on the brakes, his own vehicle sliding to the side, bringing him perpendicular to the growing hole. Knowing that the rest of the ice probably wouldn't hold for long, he leapt out into the cold air, rushing toward the other car. More cracking caused the SUV to slide even further, and Tony feared that he would be too late. He reached the rear door, almost falling as he slid to a stop. The door was mercifully unlocked, and he ripped it open. 

On the floor of the back seat, Kim crouched, her eyes wide with fear. It was obvious that she was trying to escape the sinking vehicle, but she was afraid that any movement would tip the scales completely. Glancing toward the front, Tony saw Mandy slouched over the steering wheel. He took a deep breath and stepped up onto the tailgate gently, his arm outstretched.

"Come on, Kim," he said quietly. "I've got you."

Water had started to fill the front of the SUV. Kim reached out both her hands, gripping Tony desperately as he started to pull her out. When she had come far enough, he wrapped one arm around her waist, slowly inching them out the back. 

But just when Tony thought that they were going to make it, he heard a harsh click. Looking up, his stomach clenched in fear and anger – Mandy was conscious, one hand wrapped tightly around Kim's ankle, the other pointing a gun at his head.

"Let us go, Almeida," she said quietly. "And I promise I won't kill you."

Tony glanced down at Kim, hope flaring in his chest at what he saw. When he looked back at the woman in the front seat, his eyes were cold.

"Sorry, Mandy. I don't make deals with trigger-happy psycho-bitches."

Without looking down, he grabbed the gun that was stuck in the waistband of Kim's jeans, pointing it at Mandy. He didn't hesitate at all in pulling the trigger, putting a bullet right in the center of her forehead. With a thud, the weapon fell from her hands and she fell back against the dashboard.

Tony tucked the gun back into Kim's pants before stepping free from the SUV. Reaching back in, he lifted her free as well, cradling her in his arms as he turned and moved back toward his vehicle. He didn't even glance back as the vehicle fell the rest of the way in, plunging Mandy into its freezing depths.

Tony lifted Kim up carefully into his arms as he stepped away from the wreckage and walked back to his car.

"Where are we going?" she asked groggily, her head resting against his chest.

"Home. I'm taking you home."

She shook her head to protest. "We have to go back. The lab. We have to make sure…"

"I'm not taking you back there until I know it's safe," he said, strapping her into the passenger seat.

"What if they come looking for me at my apartment?"

"I'll be waiting for them," he said darkly.

"Then what?"

He shrugged. 

"Tony." She stopped.

"What?" he pressed.

"Nothing. Never mind."

"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching across the car to touch her hand.

"No."

"I'm sorry about Chase. I know he meant something to you."

"That was a long time ago."

"Feelings don't always go away."

She swallowed. "Yeah, I guess not."

He squeezed her hand. "It'll be…it won't ever be okay, but the hole inside of you, it gets smaller eventually."

She nodded. "Do you think my dad's okay?" she whispered after a moment of silence.

"I do."

"You're not just saying that?"

"No. Your dad's walked away from some pretty amazing things, Kim. He'll come back. He's not gonna let anything happen to Chloe."

Kim nodded. "What happens after all of this is over? I mean…do you just…I've forgotten how to keep going on, Tony. I'm not in the habit any more, and it's not like I was ever any good at it."

Tony gave her tired, sad smile. "I think we have to wait til it's over to figure out what happens next."

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"Chloe," Jack said softly.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm sorry."

She frowned. "For what?"

"I shouldn't have left without saying goodbye to you." 

She shifted her face next to his chest as tears burned her eyes. "We're gonna get out of here Jack."

"I hope so."

"We will." She paused, tilting her head to look at him. "And if we don't," she whispered, her voice breaking, "I absolve you of all your sins, Jack Bauer."

Jack took a shaky breath. "When we get out of here, can I take you out to dinner?"

"When we get out of here you can take me to bed."

He smiled. "I missed that about you."

"What?"

"You get right to the point."

She shrugged. "Sometimes it's the only way to get what you want."

Jack nuzzled her face with his nose. "I'll get you out of here, Chloe."

"You better."

"I will," he promised.

They pulled apart when the door behind them opened. 

"Get up," the man commanded.

"What do you want now?" Chloe shot back.

"You must be important. The boss wants to see you himself. Get up and show the man some respect."

"We're not feeling all that respectful," Jack muttered.

The man reached down, grabbing Chloe by the hair and pulling her to her feet. "I said get up," he snapped as Chloe struggled not to whimper.

Jack pushed himself up, lunging at the man and pushing him away from Chloe, trying to knock him to the ground.

"Now now, boys," a voice came from the door way. "So uncivilized. That's really no way to do business."

Chloe gasped, staring at the man who was currently staring at Jack.

"Of course," the man continued, stepping into the light, "I can't say I expected my least favorite son to act any better."


	11. Chapter 10

"I have a job I need the lovely Mrs. O'Brian to take care of for me," Phillip Bauer explained.

Chloe stared at him. "You killed Chase," she whispered.

"An unfortunate accident. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Regrettable, really."

Chloe felt tears slip down her cheeks. "And Melissa?"

"An employee who grew a conscious at the wrong time. She was supposed to take the little girl, lead you right here. But I do think it worked out rather well. After all, it did provide me with this opportunity for some father son bonding time with the son who tried to kill me."

"What do you want from me?" Chloe demanded.

"I have some friends in the Russian government. They owe me some weapons. You need to help me get them."

"You want me to hack into the Russian government's weapons site?" Chloe asked.

"Such a smart girl." Phillip turned to Jack. "I can see why you like her."

One of the guards stepped forward, unfastening the chains around Chloe's wrists. She rubbed them before the man pulled her hands together and bound them in front of her.

"Do we have a deal?" Phillip asked her.

"If I do what you want, you'll let us go?" she said, exchanging a look with Jack.

"Of course. You've been so cooperative."

Chloe nodded, moving to the center of the room and sitting in front of the computer that was being set up. "It will take some time."

"You have twenty minutes."

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"Do you think you can still beat people up?" Chloe asked when they were alone again.

Jack chuckled. "It might be hard with these cuffs, Chloe."

She rolled her eyes. "If you remember how to pick a lock, that won't be a problem." When he looked at her in confusion, Chloe sighed. "We have those little knives, remember? And I can reach mine now that my hands are in front of me."

"My little genius," Jack murmured as Chloe worked on opening her belt buckle. She blushed, but kept her head down as she continued to work. "Where would I be without you?"

"Probably in a lot of trouble."

He smiled as she finally got the belt buckle open. Pulling out the knife, she went through its attachments until she found a pick. Jack's smile broadened.

"Nice job, Danny," he whispered. "He gave us exactly what we needed."

Chloe shrugged. "Maybe he's not as dumb as he looks then."

"Be nice, Chloe."

"Why?" she asked. Before he had a chance to respond, she shook her head. "Nevermind. Let's deal with getting out of here for now."

Jack was surprised at how quickly she was able to undo her handcuffs. He had never seen her try to get into anything unless it was a computer system, and he had to admit that he was impressed at her ability to pick locks. As her cuffs clattered to the floor, she immediately stood up and moved over to him. In a matter of seconds, he was free as well, and rubbing his wrists.

"Now to get out of here," he told her.

Chloe rested a hand on his arm, stopping him from heading to the door. "There's something I have to do first."

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Lindsay carried Angela as she ran, her gun out and ready. They seemed to be moving away from the shooting, but she didn't want to be caught off-guard. Her only job was to get the little girl in her arms somewhere safe.

Her thoughts drifted back to Danny. She hated any time that he was in danger; her stomach would knot painfully, and her mind would start racing through all of the horrific outcomes that might come to pass. But Lindsay knew that she didn't have time for that right now. If she let those dark thoughts overcome her, she would break down right then and there.

They rounded another corner, and she almost cried in relief. A back exit out of the lab was before her, and it couldn't have come a moment too soon – her back and arms were aching with the strain of carrying Angela. Lindsay slammed through the door, praying that there weren't any shooters beyond it.

Sunlight blinded both of them as they burst outside. For a terrifying moment, Lindsay was disoriented, unsure of which direction she should turn.

"Freeze!"

Her heart stopped at the same time that her legs did. People were standing all around them, Kevlar covering their torsos and black automatic weapons in their hands. It took Lindsay a moment to realize what was going on.

"I'm NYPD!" she yelled. Dropping her gun, she fumbled for her badge, handing it to the man who had commanded her to freeze.

Angela pointed at the S.W.A.T. letters on the man's jacket as he inspected Lindsay's badge. "Are they the good guys?" she asked.

Lindsay nodded, hugging the little girl more tightly. "Yeah, sweetheart. They're the good guys."

Satisfied, the man handed her badge back and pressed something on his vest. "Sir, we've got C.S.I. Monroe and the little girl. They're safe."

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Stella was only aware of things in flashes, like those of a camera. She was leaning over Don, putting pressure on his wound, trying to stem the bleeding. Her hands were stained and sticky, but she didn't care. All she could focus on was the ashen look to his face, the way his skin seemed to turn cold. It wasn't fair – they had only just found each other, and now it seemed as though she were going to lose him.

But then the shooting had stopped. An eerie calm seemed to settle over the lab as the last of the intruders was dealt with, and the police officers and C.S.I.s had a chance to take in everything that had just happened. Groans of pain destroyed the silence, and cries were rising all around as friends were discovered to be lost.

And then there were hands on her, pulling her away from Flack. She fought them frantically, until she saw that they were paramedics. She watched as they checked his vitals, and tears of relief slid down her face when they put him on a gurney and began to rush him out of the room – if they were taking him out in a hurry, then maybe it wasn't too late.

The next thing she was aware of was Mac standing in front of her. Slowly, she realized that he was saying her name over and over again, his hands cradling her face as he tried to get her to focus on him.

"Stella."

Her eyes met his. "He's still alive," she whispered.

Mac nodded. "Yes he is. The paramedics think he's going to make it. But Stella," he said her name more firmly when her eyes started to slide away from his. "I need you to go to the hospital with him."

She nodded numbly, the fight gone out of her. She didn't care to see this battle through…the only thing she cared about was getting to Don and being there when he woke up.

Mac walked her out of the lab, helping her into the ambulance that Flack was in. "I want you stay at the hospital," he told her firmly. "Neither of you is in any condition to be in the field. Do you understand me?" Stella nodded again, and Mac reached out to squeeze her hand. "I'll be there as soon as I can," he promised.

Shutting the doors, he knocked on them twice, letting the driver know that he was free to leave. As the ambulance thundered through the streets of Manhattan, Mac sent up a quick prayer that he would still have a whole team by the end of the day.

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"What's so damn important?" Jack demanded as he watched Chloe's fingers fly over the keyboard.

"I'm trying to get through the firewall."

"Why?"

"To send a message to the crime lab. Let them know what we found out."

"Can you do that?"

"I can do anything," she said with a small smile. "Remember?"

"Hurry," he said, watching as she typed.

"It's done. We can go."

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"When I leave, I want you to stay here," Tony said softly, studying Kim's face.

"Where are you going?"

He shrugged. "After the bad guys, I guess."

"We talked about this," she muttered. "I'm not a kid anymore."

"I know that."

"This is my fight too."

"I can't do what I need to do and keep you safe at the same time."

"It's not your job to keep me safe."

They were interrupted by the phone ringing. Tony slowly answered it.

"Almeida," he said.

"It's Danny," the voice on the other end said. "The lab's clear. SWAT came in."

"How many causalities?" Tony asked, his eyes still on Kim.

"We don't know yet. Look, why don't you get back over here, we'll figure out what to do next."

"Sure thing man."

"Hang on a second," Danny said, and Tony could hear muffled voices. "Could you put Kim on the phone for a second?"

"I guess," Tony said, handing the phone to Kim. "It's the cops."

"Hello," she said cautiously.

"Kim, it's Lindsay," Lindsay said softly. "You need to come and stay with Angela."

"What's wrong? Did something happen to her?"

"She's fine. She's fine. She's just…she needs someone she knows."

"I'll be right there." She handed the phone back to Tony and they both stood.

"We talked about this," he sighed.

"Be careful," she said softly, avoiding his eyes.

"I will be."

"I have to go back to the lab. Angela needs me."

He nodded, opening the door for her. Kim stopped, turning around to hug him. "Try to come back in one piece."

He smiled. "I'll do my best."

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Mac watched as the team reassembled in his office. Danny and Lindsay were there, of course, and they were joined by Bill, Karen and Tony. Kim had gone right to Angela, and Hawkes was still helping with the fallout from the firefight in the lab. They were smaller than they were when they started, but Mac knew that they had to put an end to this.

"What's up, Mac?" Danny asked.

"I just got a message from Chloe."

There were gasps around the room. Karen spoke up first. "So she's alright? She's still alive?"

Mac nodded. "It seems she hacked through the firewalls on whatever system they put her in front of and send us a note. She and Jack are preparing to fight their way out. I think we should be there to help them."

"Where are they?" Tony asked.

"A warehouse on the East River. I had Adam trace her IP address." He looked around the room. "Danny, Tony, and Bill, you'll come with me. Lindsay, you and Karen stay here."

Lindsay was about to protest, but Danny rested a hand on her arm. Looking over at him, her eyes filled with tears.

"I hate this," she whispered.

He took a step closer to her, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I know."

"Lindsay." She turned her attention back to Mac. "I'm going to need you to keep in contact with Stella. I want to know how Flack is doing. Help Hawkes if he needs it. Okay?" She nodded, and the detective turned to Karen. "Ms. Hayes, I'd appreciate it if you would keep an eye on Kim and Angela. They've both had a pretty rough day."

Karen nodded as well, slipping her hand into Bill's. She had known that they weren't going to let her go – she had no training in field work, and she would be more of a liability than an asset. She just prayed that Bill would come back to her.

Mac looked around the room once more. "Alright, then. Let's suit up and head out. It's time to end this."


	12. Chapter 11

Stella barely glanced up when Lindsay took the seat next to her in the hospital's waiting area

Stella barely glanced up when Lindsay took the seat next to her in the hospital's waiting area. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was sitting around the lab," Lindsay explained, "feeling helpless and scared out of my mind and I figured you were probably feeling the same way, so we might as well feel like that together."

Stella gave her a weak smile. "He's in surgery."

Lindsay nodded. "It's a good hospital Stell. I had Mackenzie here." She swallowed. "Different floor. Different feeling."

"You should go home," Stella murmured. "Go be with your daughter."

"I'm a mess, Stella. I'm a wreck. I don't want to be that way around her."

"You're a good mother."

"This isn't supposed to be about me," Lindsay said, reaching out to squeeze Stella's hand. "How are you doing?"

Stella stared at the ceiling like it would give her the answers. "I'm scared out of my mind. I just found him Lindsay, I can't lose him. It's not fair."

"You won't. Don's strong. He's a fighter. He comes back from things."

"What if he's already used up all of his chances?"

Lindsay shook her head. "He finally has something worth fighting for, something to come back to. He's not going to let go of that."

"I'm just so afraid," Stella said, tears rolling down her cheeks as Lindsay hugged her.

"I know," Lindsay said softly. "I am too."

"Where are they?" Stella asked when she pulled away.

"Chloe sent Mac a message. They went to end things."

"He'll be alright, Lindsay. He'll come home to you."

"I hope so," Lindsay whispered.

Stella gave her a strained smile and closed her eyes as they waited.

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"So what's the plan, Mac?" Danny asked as they stood some distance from the warehouse. Another building stood between them and their objective, keeping them hidden from any lookouts.

"We have the advantage," the detective pointed out. "They most likely don't know that Chloe got a message out to us. They don't know we're here."

"So we hit 'em hard and fast?" Tony asked.

Mac nodded. "It seems like our best chance."

Danny shrugged. "Not that I don't love runnin' in there, guns blazin', but, umm...are we gonna wait for backup?"

"We can't wait that long. They're on their way, though."

"Hopefully they get here before we get ourselves killed," Danny muttered.

"Now, now," Bill said. "This is no time for negative thinking."

"Everybody ready?" Mac asked.

They all nodded, some tightening the straps on their vests while the others checked their ammunition one last time. Satisfied, Mac nodded, and then turned to lead them. The four of them moved fast and stayed low, hoping to avoid detection as long as they could. When they finally reached the entrance to the warehouse, they stopped and Tony frowned.

"They have to know we're here by now. There's no way they don't have lookouts on the roof."

"Maybe they're not here any more," Danny suggested.

Mac raised one hand, signalling for silence as he pressed his ear up against the door. "Or maybe they're just distracted," he said quietly. "I hear fighting inside." Reaching down, he tried the knob. "It's locked."

"Who needs doors?" Tony asked.

Taking a few steps to the left, the former agent slammed his elbow through one of the windows. Glass shattered loudly, but when no bullets came flying at them, the four men shimmied through the opening, and into a maelstrom. Several men were on the floor, either writhing in pain, or lying still in pools of their own blood. Jack was near the center of the room, fighting off three men. The former agent was bloodied and bruised, and it looked as though his strength was starting to fail. Chloe wasn't far away, trying to keep clear of a fourth man who was wielding a nasty-looking knife. And on the outskirts of the fighting stood the last person - an older man with his arms crossed and his eyes locked on Jack.

Bill, Tony, Mac and Danny moved in immediately, fanning out as they tried to help their friends. Seeing the man with the knife lunge at Chloe again, Tony raised his gun and fired a single shot, causing the man's head to snap to the side. He crumpled to the ground, and Chloe looked up, sighing in relief when she saw that the cavalry had arrived.

Hearing the shot, one of the men attacking Jack turned, his eyes widening when he saw that the odds were no longer in their favor. Pulling out his own weapon, he shot blindly. He was rewarded when Danny doubled over, clutching his stomach and crying out in pain. Bill returned fire immediately, taking the shooter out even as Mac went to his friend's side.

With only one opponent left to face, Jack threw everything he had into the fight. Swinging his fists, he pummelled the man, sending him backwards with each hit. These people had taken away the life that Angela knew and loved, and they had tried to frame his daughter for the murders; they had almost killed Bill, and shot Stella, and then they had taken Chloe. The only thing he wanted to do was snap this guy's neck.

He never saw his father move closer to the fray. The older Bauer took the gun from one of his fallen men, and leveled it at his son's head. Chloe watched in horror, her stomach clenching. Before any of the others could turn around, she snatched Tony's gun out of his hand and pointed it at Philip Bauer. She flinched with every pull of the trigger, but all four shots hit him square in the chest, forcing him to stop his advance. With a surprised look at the computer analyst, the gun slipped from his fingers and he crumpled to the floor.

Everyone stopped, and the room fell silent. Jack stopped punching the man beneath him, realizing now that he was unconscious. He looked up at Chloe, following her eyes as she stared at his father lying dead on the ground. A momentary pang surged through him, but then his eyes were back on Chloe. Pushing himself to his feet, he went to her, gently taking the gun out of her hands.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes. "I just...he was going to kill you, Jack. I-I picked up the gun without even thinking -"

He took her face in his hands. "Chloe."

"I'm sorry -"

"Chloe, stop," he said gently. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"But...your dad..."

"Has been dead in my mind for a long time now. You did what you had to do, Chloe. You saved my life." He smiled a little at that, brushing a stray hair from her face. "Just like you always have."

He kissed her mouth gently before moving his lips to her forehead and pulling her close. Holding her, he breathed a sigh of relief - they had done it. They were finally safe.

Then his eyes landed on Mac and Danny. The detective had already made an urgent call for an ambulance, and Jack could hear the sirens in the distance. Standing there and waiting, he prayed that they were done with death for the day, and that the C.S.I. would hold on until help arrived.

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"Mac," Danny said weakly as the older man knelt beside his body, applying pressure in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"It's over," Mac said. "Just stay with me. Stay awake."

"Is that an order?" Danny rasped.

"No. I've seen how well you follow those. Just keep talking. That's always something you've been good at."

"We named her after you, know. Mackenzie. It was Montana's idea."

"I know. I'm honored."

"You have to look after her," Danny whispered.

"Don't talk like that."

"Her and Lindsay," Danny continued. "Take care of them. I need to know that they'll have you and Flack and Stella."

"They'll have you too," Mac said firmly. "We're not losing you."

"Mac," Danny breathed.

"I promise," Mac said. "I promise, no matter what happens, they'll always have us."


	13. Uber Fluffy Epilogue

The little bell above the door jangled, and Don looked up to see Stella walking towards him

The little bell above the door jangled, and Don looked up to see Stella walking towards him. He automatically smiled at the sight of her, and she returned the gesture, sliding into the booth across from him.

"Morning."

"Morning," she murmured, leaning over the table and kissing him softly. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic's a real bitch this morning."

Flack shrugged. "If you lived with me, we coulda come together."

Stella narrowed her eyes. "Is that an offer?"

"More like a request."

Her mouth suddenly dry, she stared at him. "You want me to move in with you?"

He leaned over, taking her hand in his. "I do."

Stella continued to stare at him. "I...I don't know what to say." Looking into his eyes, she saw the hope that had flared in them slowly begin to burn out, and the hold he had on her hand loosened just a little. Swallowing her fear, Stella tightened her grip on his hand, and raised the other to cup his cheek. "Yes," she whispered.

Don's eyes widened. "Yes?"

She smiled. "Yes."

Unable to think of anything to say, he just leaned in and kissed her over and over again, moving away from her lips and kissing her cheeks, her eyes, her ears, her neck. Stella laughed, amazed at the decision they had just made. Don finally stopped kissing her and pulled back slightly, smiling at her all the while.

"Let's order," he said. "I owe you breakfast."

Stella frowned. "Don, you paid me that breakfast months ago."

He shrugged. "I like getting breakfast for you."

She smirked, raising her eyebrows. "Maybe next time it could be breakfast in bed."

Don grinned and leaned in for another kiss. "Yes, ma'am."

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"I think I like New York," Tony said as they sat down on a park bench.

Kim smirked, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye as she took a bit out of her hot dog. "Even though it's the home of the Yankees?"

Tony frowned. "Yeah. You understand, however, that the Yankees are still evil."

She gave him a mock serious expression. "Of course."

They both chuckled at that and continued to eat their hot dogs. It was perfect weather to be sitting out in Central Park, watching people as they walked by. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Tony shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe we could still go to a game, though."

Kim laughed, her eyes wide. "You would go to a game in Yankee Stadium?"

"Well, they'd have to be playing the Cubs."

"So you would make me go to a Yankees game and root for someone _other_ than the Yankees?"

He shrugged again, his eyes locked on his hot dog. "It was just a thought."

Kim stared at him for a moment before bumping his shoulder with hers. "I'd love to."

Looking up, Tony smiled. "Yeah?"

She nodded, taking another bite of her hot dog. "Yeah."

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"What do you think?" Chloe asked nervously, watching Jack's face as he toured the apartment.

"The view's amazing," he murmured, staring out the window out over the city. "How'd you find this place?"

"Stella lives a couple of blocks away, she knew about it."

Jack grinned. "The two of you becoming friends?"

"Sort of," Chloe said, shrugging. "I guess we bonded or something. They're alright. Anyway, there's a good school for Angela, and a park nearby, and it's close to Kim."

"Then it sounds like the perfect place for you."

She bit her lip. "What about you? Do you think you could live here?"

He smiled at her. "Are you asking me to move in with you?"

She shrugged. "I just figure we've wasted enough time already. I don't want to spend any more time away from you. I was kind of hoping you'd feel the same way."

He glanced around the apartment again. "I think I could be happy here." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly. "I think I could be happy anywhere, as long as I've got you."

88888888888888

Lindsay felt like she didn't sleep the entire time Danny was in the hospital. She sat by his bed, felt like everything had drained out of her as she watched him sleep, unsure that he would ever wake up. She thought that maybe they had always been connected, two sides of the same coin, two halves that only became whole when they came together. She thought that maybe they were so connected that if he died, she would too, that when he was lying there bleeding it was her blood.

And then Mac brought Mackenzie and placed her in her arms and she knew that she would get up and walk out of the hospital, no matter what happened, for their girl, with her father's bright blue eyes and her mother's nose.

Lindsay barely slept when Danny got to come home. She would watch him sleep, the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest calming her. She was afraid that it would stop if she closed her eyes, if she wasn't right there watching him. Every time she fell asleep she woke with a start, her heart pounding against her chest as the memory of how close she'd come to losing him came rushing back.

She finally learned to sleep with her head over his heart, the steady, reassuring beating lulling her.

Lindsay opened her eyes slowly, surprised to see sunlight pouring through the open windows. She glanced up at Danny and found him smiling at her.

"Morning sleepyhead," he said softly.

"Good morning," she murmured, stretching as she sat up. She climbed out of bed, padding down the hallway to the nursery. She returned moments later with Mackenzie in her arms and snuggled down in the bed next to Danny. Mackenzie bounced around them, snuggling with both her parents as Lindsay's fingers slowly traced the scar on Danny's chest.

"It's starting to heal," Danny said absently, scooping Mackenzie up into his arms and kissing her cheeks.

"I think we're all starting to heal," Lindsay said softly, smiling at him. "Finally."


End file.
